IE Expert Estimator 

AND BUSINESS BOOK 

FOR PAINTERS 



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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



The Expert Estimator 
and Business Book 



(SECOND EDITION) 



Prepared For the Use of House and Sign Painters, 

Paper Hangers, Grainers, Wood Finishers, 

Glaziers and Interior Decorators 

HOW TO MEASURE AND ESTIMATE 

WITH A COMPLETE LIST OF PRICES 



BY 

A. ASHMUN KELLY 
Editor and Publisher of The Master Painter 

Author of The Expert Sign Painter, The Expert Wood Finisher, The Expert 
Calciminer, and The Expert Paper Hanger 

Formerly Instructor in Painting at The Winona Technical Institute, 
Indianapolis, Ind. 



PRICE, ONE DOLLAR AND A HALF 




From the Press of The Master Painter Publishing Co. 

Malvern, Penna., U. S. A. 

1912 






Copyright 1912, by A. Ashmun Kelly 






A 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Estimating by Guess 3 

Reading the Architect's Specifications 4 

Tools for Measuring With 7 

Measuring Work 8 

Exterior Measurements lo 

Interior Measurements 13 

Taking Off Quantities 18 

Price List for Painters 28 

Exterior of New Frame Building — Exterior of Old 
Frame Building — Brick Building — Interior Work — 
Floor Work — Interior Hard Wood Work — Paint- 
ing Stairs. 

Graining ; 33 

Marbling 34 

Enamelled Wood Work. ....:. 34 

Wall Painting 34 

Calcimining and Water Color Work 35 

A Comparison of Painters' Prices -^^J 

A List of Prices for Paper Hangers 37 

Special Directions for Paper Hangers' Work 38 

Paper Hangers' Table of Estimates 40 

Another Wall Paper Table 44 

Lettering and General Sign Painting Prices 46 

Awning Signs 46 

Brass Signs 47 

Board Signs 47 

Board Signs With Raised Letters 48 

Board and Galvanized Fascia Signs 48 

Carved Raised Letters on Fascia Board, with Black 

Smalted Ground 48 

Painted Board Signs, Larger Sizes 49 

" " Smaller Sizes 50 

Bulletin Signs 50 

Prices Oxi Bill Posting 53 

Sizes for Bill Boards 54 

Canvas Signs on Frames c;5 

Campaign Banners 55 

Drum Signs 55 



Page 

Electric Signs, q6 

Glass Signs 56 

Gilding on Glass 58 

Glass Fascia Panels, Interior 58 

Glass Swing Signs, in Fancy Frames 59 

Glass Swing Hall Signs, One Side 59 

Laundry Signs 59 

Office Lettering, Doors and Windows 59 

Japanned Tin Signs 60 

Muslin Signs, Unmounted 60 

Oil Cloth Signs . 61 

Posters, Hand-Painted 62 

Real Estate Boards 62 

Swing Signs, Plain, Tin or Zinc 64 

Silk and Satin Lettering 64 

Show Cards 64 

Tin Stair Strips 65 

Transoms, House Numbers on 65 

Wall Signs 65 

Wagon Lettering 66 

Woven Wire Signs 66 

Window Shade Lettering -. 66 

Part Second. 

A Cost System 69 

Book-Keeping 70 

Up-to-Date Book-Keeping 71 

Classified Record of Material, Wages and Expenses y(i 

Filing and Checking Invoices yj 

Keeping Record of Sales 78 

Rendering Bills 79 

The Matter of Credits 80 

Trade Discounts 82 

Fixed Charges 86 O 

Suggestions on Figuring Costs 89 

Journeymens' Time Reports 91 

Estimates and Costs 93 

The Contract Form Q3 

The Cost Sheet 93 

Material Sheet 95 

Taking and Filing Orders 96 

Estimate Form 96 

The Invoice or Stock Book 97 

The Grainer-To-The-Trade 9'"^ 



Page 

Shop Management 99 

Business Correspondence 104 

Final Observations 106 

An Index Card System 108 

Useful Cost Card For the Sign Shop no 

Miscellaneous Information 112 

What a Painter Can Do in a Given Time — Cov- 
ering Capacity of Calcimine — Space a Man Will 
Coat in One Hour — Liquid Bronze — Bronze Pow- 
der — White Lead Paint — Painting Over Cement — 
Covermg Capacity of Fillers — Estimates on Paint- 
ing Bridge Work — Estimating Gasoline Used in 
Burning Off— What Area Paint Will Cover. 



ESTIMATING BY GUESS 

There was one feature of the Ohio Master Painters' 
Convention at Cedar Point which did not find its way 
into the pubhshed report of the proceedings but which 
must have furnished a good many of the painters pres- 
ent some food for thought. 

This was an "Estimating Contest." The painters 
who participated were taken to a building, previously 
unknown to them, and a prize was given to the one 
making the closest guess on the number of square 
yards to be painted. The ''guess estimates'' ranged 
from 598 yards to 1,033 yards. The actual measvu'e- 
ment of the building proved to be 791 yards. 

Suppose the low guesser had put in a bid for paint- 
ing this house. What show" would he have stood to 
make any money ? Suppose the high guesser had put 
in a bid. \\^hat show would he have had to get the 
job? ■ 

Another instructive feature of the test was that more 
than half of the guesses were binder, instead of over the 
actual measurements. This goes to show that the man 
who guesses is more likely to under-guess than over- 
guess, and if he is particularly anxious to get a job, and 
knows there is competition, the disposition to cut his 
figures down is greater than ever. 

Furthermore, the painters w^ho took part in this con- 
test were the leading master painters of Ohio, Avith 
more than average experience in estimating. 

The painter who gets his share of the jobs and has 
a living* profit to shoAv for his work in the end, is the 
one who never guesses but ahvays takes accurate meas- 
urements. — The Carter Times. 



4 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

READING THE ARCHITECT'S 
SPECIFICATIONS 

The architect endeavors to make his specifications 
full and complete, and yet we will sometimes find that 
the same millwork specifications from different archi- 
tects differ as regards the painter's work, owing to the 
different scales used in the specifications, or the dif- 
ference in the working out of moulding having the 
same dimensions, citing these facts as examples. It is 
therefore advised that the painter become familiar with 
the prevailing styles of the architect on whose plans he 
is estimating; it is simply impossible for an architect 
to show all the little details of mouldings, etc., on say a 
fourth-inch scale. By being familiar with an architect's 
style a painter can estimate more accurately or more 
closely than one not familiar therewith. 

It is also advised that the painter ascertain exactly 
what is expected of him in case he secures the work. 
There may be work to do that the plans do not show. 
For instance, there may be storm doors, storm sash, 
panel backs and boxes for inside blinds, hall and win- 
dow seats, drawers, shelves, dressers, bath room and 
store room accessories, etc., all to be done by the 
painter, yet no hint even of them in the specifications. 
Or there may be mantels, which are to be placed by 
the owner of the building, and which may be men- 
tioned in the woodworker's specifications, but not in 
the painter's. If not finished at the factory, you will 
be expected to finish them, and no pay for the work. 
The owner may be good enough to pay you, but this 
is not sure. Better be sure beforehand. It i§ a good 
plan to examine the specifications that are for the 
other mechanics. The plasterer's measurements, by 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 5 

the way, will be useful to you, as they concern only 
the walls and ceilings. 

Ascertain all you can about the character of the 
work, its manner of finish, for, as you know, there are 
various ways of finishing \voodwork, and not know- 
ing what kind of finish is required may mean consider- 
able loss to you. You of course understand all about 
wood finishing. By estimating on the ^vrong kind of 
rubbing or polishing it is easy to lose money. Find 
out whether you are to furnish the glass or not, or are 
only to set and glaze it. Ascertain exactly what kinds 
of materials you are to use, how^ many coats, see if 
tlie wookwork is to be primed before or after being put 
up. Are the picture mouldings to be painted? Are 
they to be given the last coat of paint before or after 
the paper is hung? Is there to be any painting or 
whitewashing in the cellar ? W^hat about the radiators ? 
Who is to finish them? Are any walls to be painted? 
If so. how many coats, and what kind of paint and 
finish ? Are any walls and ceilings to be kalsomined 
or decorated in water colors ?^ AMiat is the character 
of the decorations? A\'hat about the cornices, if any? 
Are they to be done in oil or water color ? Ho\v many 
tints or colors for same? Are the shingles to be 
stained? If so, are they to be dipped or coated on the 
roof ? Or are they to be dipped, then brush-coated on 
the roof? AMiat brand of stain is to be used? How 
many colors? How many coats of stain are to be 
given? Are an}- to be blended? AMiat brand of var- 
nish is to be used ? 

These hints should be sufficient to put you on your 
guard against being made an innocent victim of the 
architect's omitting to state clearlv, precisely, and fully 
everything the painter will l^ie required to do. Then, 
take into consideration the character of the work in 



6 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

other respects, such as the surfaces that are to be 
coated, especially noting what preparatory work is to 
be done, for this may vary greatly. It makes a great 
difference whether the woodwork or the wallwork, or 
any other surface which you are to treat, has been care- 
fully prepared or not. A badly prepared surface will 
require more time in fitting it properly for coating than 
one that is in perfect condition. And a poor surface 
will also require more material. Note how much knot- 
killing there may be to do, also the amount of putty 
work. Then there is the matter of getting at the 
work. If the work has to be reached from more or less 
extensive staging, or scaffolding, it will involve greater 
expense than ordinary work, and must be carefully 
estimated for time putting up staging or scaffolding 
and material required. Then do not forget that it 
must all be taken down, which adds to the expense. If 
you will be allowed to use scaffolding that other work- 
men have used, note that also. On church and other 
public building work there is required considerable 
scaffolding, and all this ought to be made a separate 
item. Again, a man will not be able to do as much 
work a I a high altitude as one on the floor or ground, 
owing mainly to the time taken to get to and from the 
work, and to get materials. The workman has to be 
more careful in his movements, to avoid falling, and 
this lessens his working speed. As a rule, all exterior 
work requires more time than the same amount of 
work inside ; especially is this true of roof work, where 
ladders or other staging have to be used. It is very 
important to consider these items in making up an esti- 
mate. On the inside the matter of decorating must be 
looked into, for there may be much or little, depending 
upon the character of the scheme. 

Reading the Plans. — The plans are drawn to a scale. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 7 

by which a fraction of an inch represents a foot, and 
feet and inches are marked respectively thus : A foot ^ 
and an inch '^ By putting in the wrong marks the 
draughtsman may make a costly error for you, hence 
watch this point closely. The plans should show every 
foot of all the work that you are asked to bid on. 



TOOLS FOR MEASURING WITH 

Tape Measure. — Have a tape measure. To reach 
very high places you can fasten together fishing or 
bamboo poles to the required length, and fasten the 
ring of the tape to the end of the jointed pole. Ex- 
tend this up to wdierever you wish to start the measur- 
ing. A hook on the end of the pole wnll be handy for 
catching the ring of the tape measure. This device is 
useful for lofty ceilings, or a tall gable end, and in any 
place of height where it is not easy of access other- 
wise. Buy the best tape line, for that will be the 
cheapest in the end. One that has fine wire woven in 
its texture is the best, as preventing stretching of the 
line. A steel tape line will not allow of getting 
into curves, etc., not being flexible enough. The two- 
foot rule you always have. 

The Note Book. — You should carry with you a 
small note book, of convenient size, in which to jot 
down the measurements as you take them, together 
with any useful memoranda. This book should be 
ruled so as to give proper space for jotting down the 
name of part measured, the superficial measurements, 
with subtractions or additions for openings or extras, 
as the case may be, measuring and observing every- 
thing carefully and jotting all down in the note book. 
The conversion of the figures into square feet or yards 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



may be done at home. Be sure of your figures when 
jotting down, and don't estimate too closely, but give 
ample leeway, for your own good, as it is better to be a 
little over rather than under with your figures. 



MEASURING WORK 

Walls. — All flat surfaces may be placed under this 
head, for purposes of measurement. Multiply the 
height by the width, and add the squares of all open- 
ings, projecting sills and caps and bay windows being 
counted with openings. That is, such openings are 
charged extra. First, the entire surface, including the 
openings, are counted in addition. This will include 
all brickwork, clapboarding, plaster or stucco, etc. 

Cornices and Copings. — Plain cornices may be meas- 
ured by multiplying the length by one and one-half 
times the girth. Increase these figures according to 
the height of the building and difficulty of getting at 
the work, and also with regard to the fact of the walls 
being painted or not. Thus, if the building is three 
stories high, multiply length of cornice by three times 
the girth ; for buildings up to six stories multiply by 
four times the girth. For greater heigths than these 
use your judgment, based upon the figures here given. 
Where the walls are to be painted too, the rate may be 
lowered, as the scaffolding will do for both. If the 
cornice is bracketed, dentilled or panelled, multiply the 
length by two or three times the girth, or even by 
three or four times, according to the character of the 
w^ork. Use your judgment. If the cornice alone is 
to be done, no wall painting, then you may go as 
much as from four to eight times the girth, according 
to height of the work, and according' to whether the 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 9 

cornice has dentils or decorations or not. Also, if two 
or more colors are to be applied to the cornice, this 
must be taken into account. For a bracketed cornice 
it is usual to allow one more girth to the regular 
measurements, and if there are dentils also, allow two 
girths. These rules apply also to dormer windows 
and porch cornices, and all similar structures. When 
the work is extra hazardous, or high, or extra difficult 
in any way, allow extra measurement to cover increas- 
ed cost and risk. Allow extra for scaffolding. 

The Measurer. — In some cities the associated master 
painters employ one of their number to do the measur- 
ing for them ,and he is paid a certain percentage for 
his work, which is based on the contract price, using 
the following schedule : 

For measuring work up to $ 150. ...... 5 per cent.. 

500 4 " 

" " '*'. 1,000 3 

" 5,000 2 " 

" '[__ over 5,000 2 " 

It is better for each man to be able to do his ow^n 
reading and measuring of plans, because it sometimes 
happens that he will be given the plans by the archi- 
ect with the stipulation that he is to return them the 
next morning, and hence while he can do the work 
that night, it might not be possible to get the official 
measurer to do the work for him in such short order. 
Not infrequently you are required to study the plans 
in the architect's office, not being allowed to take them 
away. 

Have a note book, and jot down your measurements 
very carefully in that. Note size of glass, size of doors, 
windows, and every detail. Begin at some point in the 
plans, and go carefully through them. 



10 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

A square is a space ten by ten feet, or lOO super- 
ficial feet. A scjuare yard contains nine superficial 
feet. Measure the work by one or the other of these 
squares, separating the work under difi^erent heads, ac- 
ording to its character. As you measure off the work, 
lote down the quantities under the proper head, and 
vhen done add up the several columns and point off 
into squares.. The work may be classified about as 
follows : 

Inside JVork. — i, 2, 3 and 4 coat work, one color. 
Graining and varnishing. 
Zinc work and parti-colors. 
Hardwood filling and finishing. 

And about the sanie with the outside work, accord- 
ing' to its character. 



'fa 



MEASUREMENTS, EXTERIOR 

Blinds and Shutters. — Rolling slat blinds, multiply 
height by three times the girth. Stationary slat blinds, 
multiply the height by twice the girth. Shutters, mul- 
tiply the height by twice the girth. 

Door Frmnes. — Plain or with transoms, and not 
over six inches girth, estimate one foot for girth, and 
multiply by the length all around. For all over six 
inches allow double girth. Panelled door frames, allow 
two and one-half times the girth all around. 

Doors. — Batten doors, measure square, and allow an 
inch to girth for each bead or edge of batten. Panel- 
led doors, multiply the length by twice the width. 
Measure all door edges double. 

Windoivs. — Window frames, allow one foot girth 
on all staff beads, and multiply by the length all 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR H 

around. If pulley stiles are to be oiled, double the 
staff bead allowance. Dormer window frames, take 
the height of the frame and get the girth by taking 
in the part at its greatest girth, across the front, and 
add measurement of openings. Window sash, ordi- 
nary, inside and outside, same method, multiply length 
by one and one-half times the width. Three times the 
width for fanc}^ sash. 

Iroi Gratings, Screens, or Bars of JVindozi's or 
Doorzcays. — ^Measure superficial surface and multiply 
same by four to six times, according to character of 
work on same. Grill work will have to be estimated 
according to its character, etc., using your best judg- 
ment as to amount of work on same. 

Balustrades. — Turned or ornamental, multiply 
height of a baluster, including top and bottom rail, by 
four, and multiply this by length of rail. Same rule 
for all kinds of ornamental balustrades. For plain, 
square or round balusters take two and one-half times 
height of one side of balustrades, top and lower rail 
added in, multiplied by length of rail. 

Colli Jims. — Plain shaft, multiply the length by one 
and one-half times the girth. Fluted, multiply the 
length by two times the girth, pressing the tape line 
into the flutings. Panelled, multiply length by two 
one one-half times the girthr Capitals, plain, multi- 
ply height by three, times the girth. Foliated, multi- 
ply the height by ten times the girth. Base, multiply 
the height by twice the girth at the largest part of base. 

Entabulature. — Same as for cornices, etc., only you 
will add the under and inner side of architrave to the 
girth. 

Lattice Work. — Painting one side only, multiply 
height bv length, counting- height three times. Paint- 



12 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

ed on both sides, multiply height, five times by length 
of one side. 

Tin Roofs. — Take square measurement, and if to be 
scraped, double surface. This for ordinary roofs. If 
difficult to get at or paint, estimate accordingly. 

Ceilings. — Square measurement, and if a wooden 
ceiling, with beaded work, add an inch for each bead. 
Steel ceilings, according to character of design, etc., 
estimate for from double to more plain surface, say up 
to three and one-half times, and still more where the 
side walls are not to be painted. 

Shingles. — Shingle work on towers and other fancy 
features, get height and multiply by greatest girth. 
Dipping shingles, estimate 400 square feet per iocx> 
shingles. This assumes a dip of about ten inches. 

Hand Rails, Stairs, Steps or Stringers and But- 
resses, double superficial measurement. 

Floors. — Square measurement. 

Chimneys, Verge Boards, Snow Guards^, Crestings, 
and Conductors or Spouts. — Four times the girth by 
the length. 

Cupolas and Domes. — Three times the girth at base, 
multiplied by the greatest height. 

Trellis. — Three times" the girth of posts and rails, 
and multiply the length. Arched trellises, four times 
the superficial measurement. 

Fences. — Picket and board fences, measure on the 
rail side, adding the girth of the rails, double this, then 
multiply by the length of the fence, adding circumfer- 
ence of posts to the length. For picking in or tops of 
pickets, add one-fourth more. Fancy fences, same as 
for turned balusters. Cast-iron fences, four times the 
height of one side, multiplied by length, provided the 
posts are to be painted with the fence. Iron bar or 
pipe fencing, take the girth of pipe and multiply by 



» 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 13 

four, making- one foot the minimum girth, then multi- 
ply by length of fence. If posts are to be painted, then 
add girth of same to the length of fence. 

Spires and Towers. — Plain boarded, measure the 
greatest girth by doubling the height. Where there is 
more or less ornamental work you will have to esti- 
mate accordingly, using your best judgment in the 
matter. 

Skylights. — Square measurement, multiplied by 
three or four. 

Unclassified Work. — There will always be found 
more or less work that is not included under any of the 
heads here given, such as work on store fronts and 
other commercial or public structures, and including 
striping, gilding, carved work, etc., and where the 
rule of measurement can hardly be used, and in all 
such cases you must depend upon your judgment, as 
to the amount of material and time it will take to do 
the same. 



MEASURING INTERIOR WORK 

The Woodwork. — Begin with the first floor, and 
measure the doors, one side only, excepting closet 
doors. Run the tape line into all depressions and count 
in one edge. Multiply height by width. Measure the 
frames to the rabbet only, leaving the rest or other 
side for the next room or hall, as the case may be. 
Measure window frames same as door frames, also tak- 
ing in the stool at bottom part. Measure sashes as in- 
dicated in exterior measurement. Base-board and dado 
or wainscoting, these you have to .get data for from 
the carpenters' specifications, as the plans do not in- 
dicate height or character. Same with the mantels, you 



14 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

will have to gness at them, or get some idea of size and 
character from the architect or owner, that is, if you 
are to do them. Ascertain what kind of wood is to be 
used on each floor, and what finish is to be followed, 
also what materials or make of stock is to be used. I 
refer to the floors now. The floors may not be fin- 
ished as the rest of the woodwork; as a rule they never 
are. As there are many ways of treating a wood floor, 
Avhether hard or soft wood, some methods involving 
considerable labor, while other ways involve com- 
paratively little, it is important to know which way 
3'Ou are expected to finish them. 

Now measure the other rooms and parts of the 
houses or buildings. In houses of the better class there 
Avill be pantries, china closets, vestibules, back entries, 
etc., and all these must be carefully measured. Then 
there are clothes closets and the bath room, maybe 
more than one. Measure halls, landings, and stair- 
ways. On the latter are the risers, the treads, and the 
balusters. Measure as you have been advised for other 
similar work, running into quirks and mouldings, etc., 
and getting all the surface there is, and a little more 
in some instances, as where there is more elaborate 
w^ork than common. 

Measuring Interior Painting. — Beginning with the 
ceiling, is it to be painted in oil or water color paint? 
In either case, if the wall has to be washed and tinted 
or whitened, then allow double surface. If to be 
sized in addition, allow triple. This rule applies to 
water color painting only. Next we come to the cor- 
nice, if any. Same rule for both wooden and plaster. 
A cornice may contain very much or very little orna- 
mentation, or a medium amount, so that we have to 
measure according to its character. Say it consists of 
three or four mouldings, each to be tinted differently, 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 15 



allow twice the girth. If washed, sized and tinted 
around the room. If tinted in one color or tint only,, 
allow tW'ice the girth. If washed, sized and tinted one 
color, allow^ three times the girth. If the cornice has 
dentils, then allow three or four times its greatest girth. 
This rule applies also to stucco or mouldings on the 
ceiling. Where a cornice girths twelve inches allow 
eighteen inches. Where the net girth is eighteen inches^ 
allow three feet. Cornices decorated with leaves or 
other ornaments, allow three feet. ^Measure center 
pieces same as cornice, carrying the ta;pe around the 
outer rim, and charging according to the number of 
tints, etc. Also, note amoimt of decorating or orna- 
mentation on center piece. 

Wall Painting. — If no particular care is to be exer- 
cised in cutting in around it carefully, do not allow 
for openings. If woodwork is to be painted, then al- 
low for one-half the openings. Staircase walls, add 
one-third to total -measurement, and make no deduc- 
tion for openings. China closets, triple surface meas- 
urement, with no allowance for openings. Where the 
walls are rough-cast or sandfinished, add one-half to 
surface measurement, with no allowance for openings. 
This rule applies to both water color and oil color 
painting. Where the walls or ceiling are to be sten- 
cilled or otherwise decorated you will have to estimate 
upon your judgment, as no specific rule can be laid 
down for such decorative work. 

Painting the Woodzuork. — Any part that will meas- 
ure up to four inches wide consider as one foot. From 
six to twelve inches in girth consider as being tw^o feet 
in girth or width. Where the measurement is from 
twelve to eighteen inches wide allow three feet. When 
corner block and plinth are a part of the frame add 
one foot to the height of each side. If more or less 



16 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

ornate headers are in use, allow from three to six times 
the length. 

Full-trimmed windows and shutters and inside 
blinds, measure around the back band, and if the archi- 
trave is panelled allow a girth of three feet ; otherwise 
measure as directed for plain painting above. For 
shutters on full trimmed windows, if folding, allow 
one foot girth for each face of fold if plain moulded. 
Panelled shutters, allow eighteen inches for each face 
of fold. If the shutters have also slats or blinds, allow 
three times the width of each face of fold. 

Suh-Base,, or Washboard, when not above ten inches 
high, allow twelve inches. If above twelve inches in 
height, allow fifteen inches, in either case including 
moulding with the board. 

Shelving^ up to one foot in width, allow one and 
one-half times the surface measurement. For strips cut 
in on one edge allow four times the width. 

Dado, panelled, allow from two to three times the 
width. If sheathed with cap and base, allow twice the 
width. 

Stairs are to be measured from top edge of base to 
extreme edge of stringer for the girth ; for the length 
measure risers and treads, and add one-half the length. 
Same rule applies in case the stairs are cut down. 

Hand Rail and Balusters, measure from the tread 
up longest baluster, around hand rail and down the 
tread. Where there are two or three balusters to each 
tread allow two or three times, as the case may re- 
quire. Same rule where there is panelled work below 
the balustrade. Measure newel post in its greatest 
girth when getting length of stair balustrade. Fancy 
balustrades allow six times the height of baluster by 
length. 

Sashes, two or more lights, measure square. Twelve 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 17 

or more lights to the window, add one-half or double, 
according to character of work on same. Fancy sash, 
multiply length by three times the width. 

Sheathing, plain, allow one and one-half times. 
Beaded, allow an additional inch for each bead, adding 
to above measurement. 

Mantels, plain, measure square and multiply by 
three; no allowance for openings. Ornamental man- 
tels, square measurement, multiplied from five to ten 
times, according tO' character and amount of work, 
with no allowance for openings. 

Floors, plain, one and one-half times measurement. 
Hardwood with plain center and border, allow double 
surface. Parquetry, of any pattern, three to five times 
surface measurement. 

Mouldings, beads and strips of less than four inches 
wide, and separated from other finish, alllow a foot, 
minimum measurement, for width. 

Blinds plain slats, multiply length by three times the 
girth. Movable slats multiply length by four times 
the girth. See rule for blinds in exterior painting. 

Doors and Windozv Frames, plain or with transom, 
not above six inches in girth, allow one foot for the 
girth, and multiply by length all around. Above six 
inches, allow double. For panelled frames allow three 
times the girth by length all around. 

Batten doors, measure square with one-half added, 
and add an inch for each bead to the width measure- 
ment. Panelled doors, multiply length by twice the 
width. Measure edges double. 

Colimins and pilasters, measure as directed for same 
in exterior painting, which see. Pilasters are meas- 
ured two-thirds of the column measurement. 

Scaffolding for the work must be estimated, for 
either inside or outside work. There will be a proper 



18 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

charge for any staging requiring the services of a car- 
penter, or that is not the regular staging of the painter. 
What this shall be must rest with the painter's judg- 
ment and his actual knowledge of its cost to him. 



TAKING OFF QUANTITIES 

By this is meant measuring the work and writing it 
down in figures, etc. The following description of a 
method of doing this important and rather tedious 
work comes from a successful master painter, and may 
be accepted as correct and ver}-^ useful. The writer 
uses a form of estimate sheet given in this connection. 
He has been using this form for the past ten years, and 
finds it better than the usual book, for the reason that 
it is always on file in the office, where it forms one of 
the records, and can be consulted at any time. While 
it is ''live mc^tter" the sheets are kept in small pigeon 
holes, arranged in alphabetical order. When the work 
is done, or when it is found that some one else is doing 
the work, the sheet is transferred to a case such as is 
used for card records. 

If the glass and glazing are part of the painter's 
contract, these are usually taken off first. While a 
tedious matter to pick out, especially if there are three 
or four kinds, there should be no difficulty in getting 
this quite correct, when working on the plans of reas- 
onably good architects. Often the correct sizes are fig- 
ured on the plans ; or if the outside openings are fig- 
ured ,the size of glass can be gotten from these figures 
by deducting the width of sash and thickness of 
frames, which should be mentioned in the specifica- 
tions ; or if there is no figuring on the plans, the 
measuring of the scale drawings will have to be re- 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 19 

sorted to, picking out one kind of glass at a time and 
setting it down in its order, making due allowance for 
the shrinkage of the blue prints. If you are figuring 
from them, always figure plenty for glass; it is cold 
cash out of your pocket if you don't: it's not like a part 
that you can work hard and get out on it. 

Xeyer guess at the glass on a job: you may be able 
to hit it pretty close, but it's a start in the wrong direc- 
tion. The habit will grow on you like gambling or 
drinking, and the first thing you know you will be 
guessing at the glazing and painting of a whole house. 
In some cases there are short cuts that can be taken 
with perfect safety, without measuring eyery light of 
glass accurately. For illustration, a dwelling where 
all the glass is D. S. bloAyn glass, there may be quite a 
number of different sizes, all within the same bracket, 
like 32x32 to 32x34; 30x32 to 30x38; 28x36 to 28x40; 
are all listed at the same price of $10.31 : any of these 
and all the intermediate sizes may be set down at any 
of the aboye figures and the result would be the same 
for the purpose of estimating. The glass lists may 
be familiarized with this end in yiew and much time 
sayed. After glass has been all properly listed, the 
cost of the same must be ascertained, to which a per- 
centage must be added for risk or breakage. 

For computing the price of setting or glazing of 
miscellaneous sizes of double strength, or plate glass, 
the percentage basis is the easiest and most accurate 
way, the per cent, yarying according to character of 
work and kind of glass. For ornamental glass, that 
is figured by the scjuare foot, a price per foot may be 
added. In factory glazing, where there are thousands 
of lights of one size, the glazing may be reckoned by 
the light, due consideration being giyen to bedding, if 
called for, size of munting and general conditions. 



20 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Estimating factory and mill building jobs of painting, 
as well as the glazing by the light, where glass is of a 
uniform size and windows irregular, is often done. 
The outside doors and windows are all the house 
painter is usually called upon to do ; the doors will, of 
course, be figured by square measure ; the windows and 
transoms by the number of lights contained in them. 
For example, all the windows, transoms, monitor win- 
dows, etc., are made up of lights, lo by 14; the cost of 
the glass is taken and enough is added to cover glaz- 
ing, and also the painting of sash and window frames. 
From this basis all work is computed by counting the 
number of lights in the transoms, windows, etc., and 
then multiplying by the price. 

The painter has only to do with the surfaces of the 
completed building, whether it be a simple or elaborate 
dwelling, school, church, factory, or warehouse; and 
to get the surface to be covered, accurately computed 
and set down in square feet or yards or units equal 
to such, in a manner so that a reasonably correct aver- 
age of the cost and selling price of a given number of 
coats on the building can be ascertained. Some may 
find objection to the above elastic term of reasonably 
correct, but the facts, as I find them in practice, im- 
pel me to make this qualification ; but it is remarkable 
how close the bids of conservative, competitive bid- 
ders of the better class run on average work. It may 
be stated that the measuring of surfaces on plans is a 
mere mathematical problem and should be absolutely 
correct. This would be true if all surfaces were uni- 
formly the same, but the time consumed in finishing 
a square yard of surface on a plain solid mould door 
is much less than the time consumed on the same 
amount of surface on a bracketed and dentilled cornice, 
with enriched mouldingfs. If all the surfaces of each 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 21 

member were accurately computed, the price per yard 
would have to be very much more owing to the dif- 
ference in time consumed in doing the more com- 
pleted work. So the estimator of painting has to 
apply his knowledge and judgment as well as his rule. 
and has thus resorted to methods that facilitate the 
work ; such as doubling the surface of plain mouldings, 
trebling and quadrupling the intricate work, so that 
when the quantities are given, it is not the mathe- 
matically correct surface quantity, but it is the relative 
cost quantity. 

Whatever method is used, the measurement of the 
surface must be this basis, and it is only a matter of 
getting at it in a manner that will consume the least 
time ; the figuring outside of frame house wall surface 
and floors being a simple square measurement, with 
the usual addition for parts that would add to the ex- 
pense of doing work. In the figuring of dwellings, 
such as brick, etc., where the surface is pretty well cut 
up, the lineal and unit method is sometimes used. I 
have known estimators, whose figures run very reg- 
ular, to use this method. 

I will endeavor to explain from an imaginary brick 
dwelling, figuring from the print, as we would come to 
the different parts. 

Taking up the outside, starting with the roof, if it be 
slate, it would not be painted, but the tin work of 
gutters, ridge rolls and valleys would be. The price 
of these must be high compared with an entire tin roof 
and may be taken as so many lineal feet of ridge roll, 
at such a price per lineal foot, and likewise with gutter 
and valleys. The next being the cornice, the girth 
over all should be taken ; then the character of the work 
be considered, whether it is bracketed or plain, and 
the estimate on the surface equivalent made and price 



22 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

per liiicil foot fixed ; then the hneal measurement taken 
and set down ready for muhipHcation by the fixed 
price. The cornices on dormers and porches can be 
estimated in hke manner, the price being according to 
similar calculation. The outside windows are often 
taken off with the outside work ; the price being added 
to cover same ; it does not matter which way you do it 
so you are sure to get it in, but always do it the same. 
Regular habits often prevent oversights. 

It is a common practice to figure the outside of win- 
dows by the piece. If a man knows anything at all 
about estimating he knows how many 3 by 6 feet win- 
dows the average man will be able to run in a day and 
the amount of paint it will taken when they are in 
place. 

From this a basis of cost for the setting of the unit 
price can be fixed, and should be increased or de- 
creased according to the area of the window, making 
the minimum charge for a double-hung window not 
far below that of the 3 by 6 window, as a man can 
run almost as many of this size as the smaller one. 

The Estimating of Porches. — The most correct 
way to estimate porches is to figure all the surfaces on 
all the parts to be painted, girthing all posts, cornices, 
etc., according to rules of the book of measurements, 
and on porches. of heavy construction this is the only 
safe method. On the lighter-constructed porches, with 
lattice balustrades and spindlets, it should not be neces- 
sary for an estimator to go through the entire process 
every time such a porch is to be figured, but the exact 
amount of surface to a square foot of floor space and 
the cost of doing same, by repeated trials, should be 
known in order to simplify the work and save time. 

Figuring of shutters is like windows, done by the 
pair, price based on surface measurement, on all sides 



1 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 23 

doubled; or, if rolling blinds, trebled. Estimators 
usually know the cost of the average window without 
figuring all sizes, and apply price directly per pair. The 
interior work, like the outside work, must be based on 
surface measurements. But a' door of a given size once 
figured and the result remembered, need not be figured 
again on the next job. When the doors of the same 
size are given, the next step is the figuring of the price 
of the same at so much per square yard or foot, and 
the price is also remembered. Thus the estimator for- 
sakes all the intermediate steps and uses the item and 
the price of the computed unit, and the advice of the 
fathers is forsaken and the unit system established. 
The unit usually taken is a single side of a door, and I 
have known estimators who get all their work down 
in sides, at so much per, even to picture moldings and 
wainscoting. I believe this is carrying the time-sav- 
ing element rather too far. 

We will take an example, and, for the sake of con- 
venience, say the work is all grained and varnished 
throughout the house and the same class of work. The 
plans show that on the first floor the doors are 2 feet 
lo inches by 7 feet, with 6-inch finish; to this size of 
door, 25 to 2j square feet are reckoned as a side; say 
25, and we will set an arbitrary price of 54 cents a 
square yard. This would make one side of a door; 
$1.50; as the design of the work in the same apart- 
ments must be of the like character, ihe unit price is 
applied and is usually computed as follows : Each 
side of door, one side; each two sides of frame, one 
side ; inside of window, two sides ; inside shutters, ad- 
ditional to windows four to six sides ; three square 
yards of wainscoting, one side ; one room of base, one 
side ", one room of picture mould, one side ; plain man- 
tels, four sides, etc. ; thus on each lower door in 



24 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

pantry fitting one side. Each upper door in pantry 
fitting two sides, through, all parts being reckoned as 
far as possible in sides. 

Now going to second floor, the ceilings, usually 
lower, the work is not so high; say 2-10 by 6-6 door. 
This would figure $1.40 per side, or $4.20 for a door 
and frame on both sides ; for any door that has a tran- 
som above it over 18 inches wide, add one side. While 
those who have been used to reducing all quantities to 
square yards may criticise this method as being less 
accurate, yet an estimator of good judgment can make 
very regular prices on dwelling work. I use the unit 
system for doors and windows, but figure wainscoat by 
the square foot; picture mold and base by lineal meas- 
ure, and make a special measurement and calculation 
for the odd items. 

I have here the items of a job of a competitor of 
mine of whom I asked, among many others, his way 
of procedure, and appears to be as follows : A general 
view is first taken of the plan to ascertain character of 
job, then specifications are taken up. The painting 
specifications are read over carefully and an abridged 
copy of it written on top of the estimate sheet. Then 
the specification of other trades should be read over 
and notes made on top of estimating sheet; then an- 
other study of the plans, until they are thoroughly un- 
derstood. In this house the kitchen, pantry, back stair 
hall, back room, second story and attic are yellow pine, 
filled shellacked two coats of varnish. The work of 
attic taken off first, then second floor, back stair, 
kitchen and pantries ; all that class of work together. 
Then cellar and laundry work, three coats of paint. 
This is all taken next, figured, and amounts carried 
out. Balance of second story, seven coats of white 
work, last coats, enamel, left bright. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 25 

The windows are taken first, doors next, base, pic- 
ture mould, then mantels, closet work seats and extras. 
The balance of first floor is taken off in rooms, hall 
white and rubbed; music room white, and rubbed; 
library and living room, oak finished, English oak shel- 
lacked and waxed, and all work figured by square foot, 
except French doors and windows. They are esti- 
mated by the piece. Dining room, mahogany stained 
and filled, shellaced, three coats of varnish and rubbed 
down with pumice stone and oil to a satin finish; yel- 
low pine floors and oak floors next. This with the 
items of outside and glass would be a complete set of 
items. 

ESTIMATE SHEET. 

Name Residence 

Location Date 

Architect 

Glazing — 

Basement glass D. S. A. A. 

Glass above basement plate. 

Leaded glass not included in this contract. 

Furnish plate glass mirrors where shown. 

Painting — 

1. Outside woodwork 3 coats paint. 

2. Outside metal work 2 coats paint. 

3. Back of all finish and waiscoting painted. 

4. Woodwork in kitchen. Rear Hall and Pantry will be 

yellow pine and together with chestnut in attic hall to 
be finished natural with one coat of shellac and two 
coats varnish. 

5. Remainder of the house poplar, finished in enamel, viz.: 

shellac, two (2) coats lead, one coat of zinc and three 
coats of enamel. 

6. Doors in second floor bedrooms, also woodwork of liv- 

ing room, and newels and hand rail of stairs all to be 
birch, stained three (3) coats of varnish and rubbed 
in water and oiled. 



26 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



7. Chestnut of third story, except hall, stamed and waxed. 

8. Oak floors stained, filled, shellaced, two (2) coats floor 

varnish and rubbed, additional coat of varnish on first 
story floors. 
Yellow pine floors filled and two (2) coats varnish. 



Polished Plate Glass — 


96 Lights 


8x12 


2 






30x40 


168 






10x16 


114 






9x16 


16 






18x20 


13 






14x18 


24 






30x32 


6 






8x30 


2 






22x28 


12 






10x10 


20 






12x16 


4 






16x18 


80 






10x18 






Amount forward, 






Amount forward, 


Windozv 


Glass D. S. A. A.— 


21 


Lights 


10x20 


15 


" 


9x18 


9 


I 




10x18 



0000.00 

0000.00 



Polished Plate Glass Mirrors — 
5 Mirrors 24x72 

Exact cost of all glass, 
Glazing % Profit % 



00.00 



00.00 



0000.00 
000.00 



Basement — 

10 Windows. 
10 Doors and frames. 
I Flight stairs plain. 

1 W. closet inclosure. 

Kitchen, Pantry and ^rd Floor- 
12 Windows, 5-in finish, 

2 Flights rear stairs. 



0000.00 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR ^7 



10 Doors and frames. 
235 S. yards Y. P. floors. 

22 Ft. linen cases and doors. 

30 Ft. pantry cases and doors. 
400 Ft. base. 

Remainder of 1st and 2nd Stories — 
36 Windows 6-in. finish. 

1 Flight main stairs. 
44 Doors and frames. 

2 China cases each 4x6 ft. 
10 Ft. bookcases, 4>^ ft. high. 

1000 Ft. base. 
8 Mantels. 
26 S. yards panel in vestibule. 
365 S. yards oak floors. 
40 S. yards ceiling beams. 
210 Ft. interior wood cornice-girth i6-in. 
70 S. yards panel wainscoting. 
Back painting. 

Outside Painting — 

210 Ft. rafter cornice, girth 5 ft. 

( Ceiling f 
Brick porch 13x16..-^ Cornice -<; 
j^ Floor '(^ 



All painting 0000.00 



0000.00 



Estimate $0000.00 

We will now suppose that we have our quantities all 
off quite correct, and each class of work by itself. 
Either in square yards or divided up into sides, a mas- 
ter painter can make just as bad mistakes setting his 
prices as any place I know of; each locality has its 
own prices and should be based on cost of material, 
price of labor in that locality, and a profit. And please 
don't forg-et the last item, and get it just right, for 
after all its said and done good judgment is the main 
factor. 



28 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

PAINTERS' PRICE LIST 

For United States and Canada. 

FRAME BUILDING, Exterior, New: 

Rate per 

Description of Work. Sq.Ft. Sq.Yd. 

Priming, general woodwork $ , lo 

siding and putty .12 

putty, and second coat .16 

putty, second and third coats .22 

FtDr all other descriptions of work, see rates 
for old work, as follows : 

OLD WORK, Frame, Exterior: 

One coat paint on siding .12 

Square-up bay window, old, dry siding, one coat .12 

two coats . 18 

three coats .22 
The bay windows include cornice and window frames. 
Plain porch, without rail, including roof, floor, 

and lattice work, one coat .$ .36 

two coats 55 

three coats 80 

Porch with railing, one coat 46 

two coats y6 

three coats • i . 00 

Lattice work on back porch, two coats, two sides .40 

used as screen, three coats .55 

Five- foot blinds, per pair, one coat - -43 

two coats .65 

three coats .85 

Eight-foot blinds, three panels, one coat .^ 

two coats I . GO 

tnree coats T.30 

Dormer, one window, one coat i .33 

two coats 2.00 

Dormer, two windows, three coats. 3- 00 

Small chimney, one coat : . . i .33 

two coats 2 . 00 

three coats 2 . 75 

Large chimney, one coat 2.00 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 29 

Rate per 
Description of Work. Sq.Ft. Sq.Yd. 

two coats 3-00 

three coats 4.00 

Tin roof, one coat 01 

two coats 01 J/^ 

three coats 02 

Glitters and valleys, one coat, per running foot. . .02 

two coats, per running foot. . .03 

three coats, per running foot. . .05 

Sloping tin roofs, from one-third pitch upward, 
add something additional; the Denver Associa- 
tion list gives 50C. per roof, which is rather in- 
definite. Be governed by the increased difficulty 
in the painting of such roof. Estimates are 
based on the use of usual roof paints, properly 
applied. 

Coping on roof, charge same as for gutters. 

Painting shingle roof or gables, one coat .13 

two coats .20 

three coats .30 

Painting old, dry roof, add 50c. per square 
yard, for first coat. 

Picket fence, three feet high, one coat 10 

two coats 15 

three coats 20 

Picket fence, four feet high, one coat .12 

two coats 18 

three coats 25 

Iron fence, one coat, plain 06 

two coats, plain .10 

one coat, fancy 08 

two coats, fancy 12 

three coats, fancy 15 

Outside cellar doors, per ^coat i . 00 

Shingle staining, dipped, per 1000 Z-^'^ 

dipped and brush-coated on roof 4.00 

BRICK BUILDING: 

Plain cornice, one coat 08 

two coats 13 

three coats 16 



30 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



Rate per 
Sq.Ft. 

10 



Description of Work. 

Bracket cornice, one coat 

two coats 

three coats 

Dentil cornice with brackets, one coat 

two coats 

three coats 

Small window frames, 4 to 12 light sash — ■ 

one coat each 
two coats each 
three coats each 
Large window frames, 4 to 12 light sash — 

one coat each 
two coats each 
three coats each 
*7ount windows in bays same as others. 

Painting unpainted brickwork, one coat 

three coats 

Painting old painted brickwork, one coat 

two coats 

three coats 

Pencilling brickwork. 

The foregoing includes cornices and frames, 
all being pressed together. Plastered work on ^ 
brick or stone same as plain brickwork. 

Sanding on last coat of paint 10 

One coat of paint on new or old sanded work. . . .15 

Second coat on above 15 

Burning off old paint, charge for time and 
material. 

Glazing sash, up to 10x14, per light, 5c to 6c. 

10x16, per light, 7c to 9c. 

14x24, per light, loc to 12c. 

18x25, per light, 15c to i8c. 

24x30, per light, 20c to 30c. 

36x40, per light, 35c to 40c. 

Glazing old work, charge about 40 per cent. 

more; or twice the retail price of glass; or, time 

and material. 



.15 
•30 
.13 

.25 
•35 
.15 



•25 
•35 
•50 

•35 
.60 

.65 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 31 

INTERIOR WORK: 

Painting doors, two sides, one coat, one shade, per door .84 

two coats, one shade, per door 1.25 

one coat, two shades, per door i .00 

two coats, two shades, per door i . 50 

three coats, one shade, per door 1.75 

three coats, two shades, per door 2.00 

Small window casing and sash, one coat, one shade 47 

two coats, one shade. ... 70 

one coat, two shades 60 

two coats, two shades 90 

Large window casing and sash, one coat, one shade 60 

two coats, one shade 90 

one coat, two shades 74 

two coats, two shades. ... i . 10 
Sandpapering and puttying natural finish . or stained 

work, per square yard 10 

FLOOR WORK: 

Oak, paste-filled, one coat varnish, rubbed w^ith pumice 

stone and oil, per sq. yd .35 

Same, with two coats of varnish 50 

Parquetry floor, paste-filled, one coat varnish, rubbed 

and puttied 40 

Same, with two coats of varnish 60 

Oak, paste-filled, one coat of wax 30 

Same, with two coats of wax 45 

Yellow pine, one coat liquid filler and coat of varnish. . .25 

Same, but with two coats of varnish 35 

Yellow" pine, liquid filled, one coat of varnish, polished 

by rubbing 27 

Same, with two coats of varnish 40 

One coat of varnish on new oak or yellow pine .12 

Second and third coat on same, each 10 

One coat of linseed oil 08 

Two coats linseed oil 12 

Waxing and polishing floor, one coat, per sq. yd 15 

V^arnishing blinds, one coat, oer pair 2^ 

two coats, per pair 40 

three coats, per pair 60 

Painting inside blinds, two folds, one coat per pair 40 

two coats per pair 60 

three coats, per pair 75 



32 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



One coat high-grade varnish or shellac, per sq. yd 

One coat ordinary varnish or shellac, per sq. yd 

Charge according to price of varnish used. Some 
add as much as ten cents per yard extra for best. 

Oiling or staining natural wood 

For best rubbed finish on work having dentilled, carved, 

or panelled work, add per yard extra 

For special piano finish or extra fine work charge for 
time and material. 
Ordinary hardwood trim, liquid filled and two coats of 

hard oil, rubbed 

Each additional coat of varnish or shellac 

Liquid filled, one coat hard oil, one coat wax. 

Each additional coat of wax 

Wiping off oiled floors, with cloths, add per yard extra. 

Wainscoting, one coat, per square yard . 

two coats, per square yard 

three coats, per square yeard 

One coat each of liquid filler and varnish, per sq. yd,, , 
One coat liquid filler and two coats varnish, per sq. yd. , 
One coat liquid filler, one coat varnish, rubbed with 

pumice stone and water or oil, per sq. yd 

One coat liquid filler and one coat varnish, two sides 

of door and frame, rubbed with pumice 

Same, but with two coats of varnish 

One coat liquid filler and one coat or varnish, two sides 

of door and frame 

Same, with two coats of varnish '. , , 

One coat varnish and liquid filler, one side 

Window casings and sash, filled and varnished 

Same, with two coats varnish 

two coats, per running foot 

three coats, per running foot 

This is for filler, varnish or paint. 
Book cases, 5 feet high, filled and varnished, inside and 

outside, per sq. f t 

Same, with two coats of varnish , ; 

Same, rubbed with pumice and oil, per sq, ft 

Same, paste filled, three coats varnish, rubbed 

Painting box stairs, one coat 

two coats 

three coats 



15 

IQ 



. 10 
.60 



45 
10 

05 
12 
18 

25 
18 

25 

35 

35 
00 

00 
00 
50 
70 
00 

OxYz 
.02 



.40 

:6o 

•75 

T .00 

1-75 
2.50 

3-50 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 33 

Painting open stairs, with rail, one coat 4.00 

two coats 6.00 

three coats 7 -50 

Box stairs, liquid filled and one coat varnish 2.00 

two coats varnish 2.75 

■ Open stairs, with rail, liquid filled and two coats varnish 7.00 

Same, with one coat of varnish only 4. 50 

Open stairs, paste filled, one coat varnish 8.00 

Same, with two coats of varnish 12.00 

Same, rubbed with pumice stone and oil 15 •^'O 

One-platform stairs, filled, with one coat varnish 11.00 

Same, with two coats of varnish 17.00 

Same, rubbed with pumice stone and oil 20.00 

Filling open-grain wood with paste filler, per yard 25 

Filling close-grain wood, liquid filler or shellac 10 

First coat of varnish on same 10 

Second or third coat varnish, each, per sq. yd 10 

Hairing-off or sandpapering betw^een coats, per sq. yd.. .05 

Rubbing to ordinary dead finish 10 

Rub to first-class egg-shell finish ' 25 

Painting radiators, per loop, one coat 10 

Bronzing, ordinary, per loop one coat .10 

High-lighting same, per loop 05 

GRAINING: 

The following list is that used by the Grainers' Associa- 
tion of Boston, Mass. The prices noted mav be altered to 
suit local conditions : 

For all ordinary work : kitchen, not over five 
door sides and ordinary sheathing, accord- 
ing to the quality of the work, from $3-50 upwards 

Extra door sides and casings 50 each 

Pantry and closet work extra. 

No single room less than 3 • 00 

Double front doors, from 2.00 upwards 

Single front doors, from i .00 upwards 

Ordinary work per yard 15 to .30 

Extra, matching hard wood, etc 20 to .40 

Floors and ceilings, per sq. ft 0^,^/2 

Store and bar-room work, and all places difficult of ac- 
cess, involving delay, extra, 20 to 30 per cent. 



34 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Fine work, as rare woods, with double graining, special 
prices. 

Board and carfare charged on all work out of town. 

MARBLING: 

There is very little marbling done now, and where 
such work is taken prices must be based upon the pre- 
vailing- rates of wages for extra fine work. It will be 
found best to charge per day or hour, though the fol- 
lowing table, which is not based upon any table in use, 
but is merely approximate to actual cost of doing such 
work, will be found useful : 
Ordinary sienna and black and gold marbling, per sq. ft. . lo 

Egyptian and dove raarbling, ordinary work 15 

Italian pink and malachite marbling, ordinary 15 

Ilouge royal, granite, etc., ordinary. . 10 

For more elaborate work than the above list pro- 
vides for, an additional charge may be made. Prices 
must of course be governed by the skill of the work- 
man, and. where an expert may charge almost any 
price and get it, a less skilful man will have to be con- 
tent with much less. 

ENAMELLING WOODWORK: 

Three coats of paint, each sandpapered, and one coat 

enamel paint, per sq. yd 75 

Same, but with four ground coats of paint 90 

Same, but with five ground coats paint i .oe) 

Each additional coat of enamel, per sq. yd 20 

l^ubbed to dull finish, add per sq. yd 40 

Rubbed to piano finish, add per sq. yd 80 

WALL PAINTING: 

Sizing and one coat of paint, per sq. yd 15 

Each additional coat, per yard 10 

Stippling on last coat, add per yard 05 

Stippling on last tw^o coats, per yard, add 10 

Painting burlaps or other woven fabrics, per yard 15 

Wiping off or ivory effect, plain surface, per yard 25 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 35 



Same, done in relief work, such as ornamental frieze. 

center piece, flatted color, etc., caps extra, per sq. ft. .25 
Cornices, mouldings, etc., up to 9-inch girth, per run- 
ning foot 25 

Same, 9 to 18 inches 40 

Same, 15 to 30 inches, including grounding 60 

Filling, painting, enamelling and gilding lines on baths, 

from $5-00 to 10 . 00 

CALCIMINING AND WATER COLOR WORK: 

New plaster, smooth walls, white, light blue, or buff, 

per square of 100 feet 75 

Rough or sand-finished walls, per square i .00 

Ten or more squares, 25c. or less per square. 

Hard oiling and tinting, smooth plaster, ordinary tints, 

per square i . 25 

Ten or more squares, per square i .00 

Rough or sand-finished plaster, per square 2.00 

Ten or more squares, per square i .50 

Sizing and tinting sand-finished walls, per square i .25 

Ordinary patching of plaster and preparing same, to be 
included in above rates. 

Strong colors to be charged extra, using your own judg- 
ment as to values. 

All cutting out of cracks and extraordinary preparation 
of plaster to be charged for at the rate of so much per hour, 
and added to the above prices. 

Scraping off old kalsomine or removing paper to be 
charged for at so much per hour. 

Water color, plain surface, per sq. yd 10 

Tinting walls and ceiling, per yard ; 12 

Cornice, per foot, run one color, nor more than 12-inch 

girth, per yard 05 

Each additional color add per foot run, per yard 02 

Center piece, one tint, each 50c. to 1.50 

If picked out in colors, each $1 00 to 3.00 

For cornice enrichments double above rates. 

One coat of hard-oil on walls and ceiling, per yard 08 

For such colors as chrome green and yellow, ultrama- 
rine blue, carmine, lakes, vermillions, etc., per foot, 
add 02 



36 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Whitewashing, one coat, per square yard 05 

two coats, per square yard 08 

Stencilling- borders not over 12 inches wide, one color. 

per running foot 07 

The same, two colors, per running foot 10 

P'or each additional color 07 

Sizing and gilding, plain surface, per book i .00 

IVJ'ouldings or enrichments, on ceiling, walls or wood- 
work, $1.75 to $2.25, according to amount of cut- 
ting required. 
Laying aluminum or other metal leaf on plain or smooth 

surface, including sizing, per book 75 

If lacquered or oxidized, add 25 

Same on burlap or other woven fabric i.oo 

Same, done in relief work, such as ornamental columns, 

cornices, caps or trusses i • 50 

A COMPARISON OF PAINTERS PRICES 

That there is considerable variation in prices 
charged by painters in different parts of the country is 
evident from the figures herewith. In collecting these 
rates, care was taken to get only prices charged by 
reputable painters. Prices in the middle west average 
a little lower than those in the east. Where prices for 
one, two and three coat work are given it is noticeable 
that more is charged for a second or third coat than 
for the first. Many painters, apparently the more 
careful ones, explain their own range in price as de- 
pending on the condition of the surface to be painted. 
This means that if the old coats were pure white lead 
and linseed oil, the surface will be in prime condition 
for repainting. No scraping or burning is necessary 
and the work can therefore be done at the lower price. 
It will be seen that the unit of measurement is the 
square. Many painters figure by the square, which is 
TOO square feet, while others figure by the square yard, 
which is 9 square feet. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



37 



Price ill the 
Vicinity of 
Boston 


100 Sq. 
Feet 
I Coat 

. . . $1.10 


100 Sq. 
Feet 
2 Coats 


100 Sq. 
Feet 
J Coats 


Buffalo 


I . 00 






Chicago 


.. 1 .80 


$1-55 
1.65 





Cincinnati 
Cleveland 
Philadelphia 

Price in the 
Vicinity of 



Pittsburgh 




St. Louis 



In this table of prices, where the p 
given, it may be understood as an ave 
one. two or three coats. 



2.00 

1-75 
2.00 

100 5^. 

Feet 

2 Coats 

1.50 

1.50 

1.80 



1-55 
1.65 
1.50 
1.65 



100 Sq. 
Feet 
3 Coats 
$1.90 



2.20 
2.30 
2.50 
2.65 

rice cf one coat only is 
rage price per coat, for 



PRICE LIST FOR PAPER HANGERS. 



One-edge work, per roll, 20c. paper 

Two-edge work, per roll, 20c. paper 

Ingrain, wire edge 

Ingrain, butt edge 

Wire edge, 25c. to 50c. goods 

Butt edge, 25c. to 50c. goods 

Pressed papers, per roll 50c. to i 

Burlaps, fabrics and lincrustas. per yard icc. to 

Paper, machine trimmed, per -Irab'e roll 



20 

25 
25 
30 
30 
35 
00 

30 
30 



38 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



Straight-edge or knife-trimmed, double roll 

Varnished tile, per double roll 

Felts, per double roll 

Hanging silk fibres, per double roll 

Two-thirds work, add, per roll 

Crown work, per crown, minimum price 

Crown work, per yard 

Panelling, charge by hour. 
Cutting and hanging marble, in blocks, size 42 by 21, 

per roll 

Same, 21 by 11, per roll 

Same, lining out, sizing, and one coat of varnish 

Burlaps, dyed, stained or colored, per yard 

Japanese papers, Sanitas or Oil Cloths, by the hour. 
Block papers or equivalents, per roll 50c. to 

Hanging dado, ordinary upright lengths, double prices 
of walls. 

Hanging prepared muslin, per yard loc. to 

BORDERS: 

Ordinary, up to 18 inches wide, per yard 5c. to 

Ingrains, same rate as above. 

These prices are for papers costing from 25c to 50c. 
Cheaper papers 3c. per yard. 

Borders are sometimes counted same as papers, 16 
yards to double roll, and charged at that rate. 
Sizing smooth walls, per double roll 

Removing old paper, charge by the hour. 
Hanging plate rail, up to 3 inches, per foot 

For wider plate rail, in above proportion. 
Hanging picture moulding, up to i}4 inch, per foot 

Wide mouldings in proportion. 

Hanging on walls with plate rail, extra per piece 

Poster, per piece 



40 
50 
60 
50 
10 
10 
20 



•75 
1. 00 

•50 

•25 

1. 00 



.20 

.10 



SPECIAL DIRECTIONS 



It is not well to give estimates on papering, ex- 
cepting by roll, square yard, or running foot. 

It is not safe to figure on more than 7 yards to the 
roll. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 39 

.\llow for all large openings. 

All stripping, stopping, washing off and cleaning to 
be charged extra. 

Some deduct for all openings above base-board, 
while others deduct one-half of a single roll for each 
door or window. No deduction is usually made for 
the border, which will allow for waste in matching, 
trimming, etc. In our judgment, based upon exper- 
ience, where ordinary paper is hung, it is best to 
measure the work as solid, making no deductions, un- 
less the openings are more than ordinarily large, as 
when there are folding doors, very large windows, and 
high doors or low ceiling. By this method all losses 
from trimming and matching are compensated for, and 
the amount of paper estimated to cover the room will 
be found very near what is required, with very little 
left over. 

Nearly all wall paper is put up in double rolls, each 
single roll being the basis for price unless otherwise 
stated. A single roll is usually 7 yards long and 
eighteen inches wide, after trimming. Ingrains come 
in three-roll bolts, 30 inches wide, 8 yards to the single 
roll, or 24 yards to the triple roll. Crepes and plain 
duplex papers come the same as ingrains. A single roll 
will cover 33 square feet. Twenty-inch paper comes in 
bolts of two rolls, or single pieces. It has eight yards 
to the single roll, and trims to 18 inches. It will cover 
30 square feet. 

Measuring a Room. — To get the amount of paper 
necessary to hang a room, there are several methods, 
and also tables. It is simply a matter of getting the 
amount of surface to be covered, and know the number 
of square feet that a roll of paper will cover. 

To measure a room, run a tape line around half way, 
if the room is of regular formation; otherwise, in 



40 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

order to get angles or inequalities run the line all 
around. 

Some measure by means of a bolt of paper, getting 
the number of widths around the room. Many can 
tell by a scrutiny of room just how much paper it will 
take to do it. There is a device made for measuring 
with, by which you run the wheeled instrument around 
the room, and it records the number of feet. Another 
tool will give the number of rolls required, once you 
know the size of the room. Set this device to corres- 
pond with the dimensions of the room, and an indi- 
cator will tell the amount of paper required. 

Where there is a rather high base-board, or wide 
frieze, or a dado, suitable deductions must be made. 
Also where there are openings more than ordinary. 
Also where costly paper is being used the estimate may 
be made closer. 

Always allow for a little more paper than is actually 
needed for a job, especially if distant from the source 
of supply. 



A TABLE OF ESTIMATES 

In order to save time and tedious figuring, we have 
here a table of estimates that will give the required 
amount of paper for rooms of various sizes, as listed, 
and the allowances made are ample for waste in match- 
ing, etc. The estimates are based on the single roll 
of eight yards, and where wider paper is used, allow- 
ance will have to be made. For instance, if 20-inch 
paper, then add one-ninth more to the estimate, as the 
wider paper will cover two inches more to the strip 
than the ordinary width of 18 inches. And so with 
still wider papers, like ingrains. An ingrain of 30 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 41 

inches contains two-thirds more width than ordinary 
paper. Again, remember that some papers, Hke in- 
grain, are put up in triple rolls, that is, three single 
rolls to the bolt. 

ROLLS OF PAPER FOR ROOMS 

Running . Rolls 

fi. around Height of Room. for 

side wall. S ft. g ft. lo ft. lift 12 ft. 13 ft. 14ft. Ceiling 

18 5 5 6 6 7 8 8 I 

20 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 1 

22 6 6 7 8 8 9 10 I 

24 6 7 8 8 8 10 II I 

26 7 8 8 9 10 II 12 I 

28 7 8 9 10 II II 12 2 

30 8 9 10 10 II 12 13 2 

32 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 ........ 2 

34 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 2 

36 ..9 10 II 12 13 14 16 2 

38 10 II 12 13 14 16 17 2 

40 10 II 12 14 15 16 17 2 

42 II 12 13 14 16 17 18 2 

44 II 12 14 15 16 18 19 2 

46 12 13 14 16 17 19 20 2 

48 12 13 15 16 18 19 21 2 

50 13 14 16 17 19 21 22 3 

52 13 15 16 18 19 21 22 3 

54 14 15 17 18 20 22 23 3 

56 14 16 17 19 21 22 24 3 

58 15 16 18 20 22 24 25 3 

60 15 17 19 20 22 24 26 3 

62 15 17 19 21 23 25 26 3 

64 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 3 

66 16 18 20 22 25 27 29 3 

68 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 3 

70 17 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 

72 18 20 22 24 27 29 31 4 

74 18 21 23 25 27 30 31 4 

76 19 21 23 26 28 30 32 4 

78 19 22 24 26 29 31 S3 4 

80 20 22 25 27 30 32 34 4 

82 20 23 25 28 30 33 3S = ..4 

84 21 23 26 28 31 33 36 4 

86 21 24 27 29 32 35 37 4 

88 22 24 27 30 32 35 38 4 

90 22 25 28 30 33 36 39 6 

92 23 26 28 31 34 37 39 ^ 



42 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Running /^^//^ 

it. around Height of Room. for 

side wall. 8 ft. gft. lo ft. lift 12 ft. \^ft. 14ft. Ceiling 

94 23 26 29 32 35 38 41 9 

96 24 27 30 32 35 38 41 10 

"^ 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 12 

^<^ 25 28 31 34 27 40 43 13 

^^ 25 28 31 34 27 Ai 44 13 

104 26 29 22 35 38 41 44 14 

log 26 29 23 Z6 29 42 46 14 

108 27 30 23 36 40 43 46 14 

iio ^7 30 34 37 40 44 48 15 

112 28 31 34 2^ 42 44 48 15 

"4 28 32 35 38 42 45 49 18 

^10 29 32 36 39 43 46 50 18 

1^8 29 23 36 40 43 47 51 19 

120 30 ^3 27 40 45 48 51 19 

^^^ 30 34 37 41 45 49 52 20 

124 31 34 3^ 42 45 49 53 21 

^20 31 35 39 42 46 50 54 22 

128 32 35 39 43 47 52 56 23 

130 32 3^ 40 44^ 48 53 58 24 

132 32 2^ 40 44 48 55 59 25 

'34 33 37 41 45 49 55 60 26 

136 23 3^ 42 46 50 56 60 27 

138 34 38 42 46 51 57 62 29 

140 34 39 43 47 5i 58 62 30 

142 35 39 44 48 52 59 63 30 

144 3S 40 44 48 53 59 63 31 

140 36 40 45 49 54 60 64 33 

"^"^ 36 41 45 50 55 61 65 33 

'50 27 41 46 50 55 61 65 34 

French papers vary in regard to the number of feet 
and width, but are mostly 9 yards long and 18 inches 
net wide. Japanese paper is 12 yards long by 36 inches 
wide. Pulp papers, such as ingrains, are usually 30 
to 36 inches wide. English paper is usually 21 inches 
wide by 8 yards long. American wall paper, as pre- 
viously stated, is 7 yards long by 18 inches wide, net. 
A full-length paper of 8 feet will contain 4 square 
yards, or 36 square feet. The smaller the pattern the 
less the waste in matching. Waste in paper may be 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 43 

roughly estimated at one piece in every eight. By 
'''piece" is meant a single roll, for many call it piece in- 
stead of roll, as the word roll is confusing. A roll is 
one piece or 7 yards; a bolt is two pieces, or 14 yards. 
A bundle is 50 double rolls or bolts, making 100 single 
rolls or pieces. 

Preparing walls for papering, including sizing, is 
usually charged for by the hour, but some charge so 
much per piece hung, as this will net more money than 
charging by the hour. Thus, where sizing is to be 
done and the area will require say 20 single rolls of 
paper, you charge three cents per roll for sizing, that 
will make 60 cents for the job, whereas, the work may 
not have taken over half an hour; of course the glue 
must be taken into account in any case. Still, where 
the cleaning or repairing is such an indefinite matter it 
is not feasible to charge by the roll, but by the hour. 

Speaking of wall papers being seven feet only in 
length, regardless of quality, all, even the cheapest, are 
presumed to contain eight yards to the single roll. But 
increased cost of paper and manufacture in general has 
led the paper maker to lop off a yard on each roll, 
rather than add so much to the price. Where this fact 
is not known the result is sometimes bad, as the work- 
man may run short, and this sometimes means a very 
serious matter. A Nova Scotia correspondent writes 
us as follows on this point : 

''Aly way of measuring ceilings is to multiply the 
length by the width and divide by twenty-one. This 
will allow for matching and waste. If the paper was 
eight yards long it might do to allow dividing by thirty, 
but I have yet to find the American or Canadian wall 
paper that will measure the full eight yards to the 
singfle roll. We had a house of fourteen rooms to 



44 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

paper not long ago, and I measured each room without 
allowing for windows, doors or fire-places. The cheap- 
est paper we put on was twenty-seven cents per single 
roll, and the prices ran up to $1.25 per single roll. I 
multiplied the girth of the room by the height and di- 
vided by thirty, and although I made no allowance for 
openings, as I have already said, I found myself two 
rolls short on the large rooms, and one roll short on 
the smaller rooms. I measured some of the paper, and 
found that the most expensive paper contained only 
fourteen yards to the double roll, and the cheaper 
paper ran from thirteen to fourteen yards to the roll. 
There was none that ran to sixteen yards to the double 
roll. This is why I have decided to divide bv twenty- 
five." 



HANDY WALL PAPER TABLE 

In the table preceding this one no allowance is made 
for differences in wall papers as to size of pattern, or 
repeat, hence it is as though only a plain surfaced 
paper were to be used, or one having a very small pat- 
tern and very little waste in matching. A much better 
table in this respect is the one following, derived from 
an English source, and may be described as follows : 

Measure around the room, omitting doors and win- 
dows, but including mantel. This will give the num- 
ber of yards or feet, which, by comparing with the 
table, will show the number of equivalent lengths in 
the same line. For example, a room 12 feet square 
measures in the manner described say 45 feet or 15 
yards when 30 widths will be required for an 18-inch 
paper, 26 pieces for a 21 -inch paper, that is, 25 widths 
and 15 inches over according to the table. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 45 



18 in. 21 in. 24 in. 28 in. 30 in. 31 In. 
Widths Widths Widths Widths Widths Widths 







'~0 d) 


!^ <y 


!^ flj 


'-r> flj 


CO Jj 




en 




'^ > 


'^ > 


r^ > 


-^ > 


^ > 


-— t> 


•2 


<u 


^ ° 


•S ° 


^ <^. 


^ ° 


^ ° 


•S ° 


iS 






^1 


■^.s 




'^1 


^.S ^ 


I 


3 


2.0 


I-I5 


I. 12 


1.8 


1.6 


1-5 


2 


6 


4.0 


3-9 


3.0 


2.16 


2.12 


2.10 


3 


9 


6.0 


5-3 


4.12 


3-24 


3.18 


3-15 


4 


12 


8.0 


6.18 


6.0 


5-4 


4.24 


4.20 


5 


15 


10. 


8.12 


7.12 


6.12 


6.0 


5-25 


6 


i8 


12.0 


10.6 


9.0 


7.28 


7.6 


6.30 


7 


21 


14.0 


12.0 


10.12 


9.0 


8.12 


8.4 


8 


24 


16.0 


13-15 


12.0 


10. 


9.18 


9-9 


9 


27 


18.0 


16.9 


13.12 


II. 16 


10.24 


10.14 


10 


30 


20.0 


17-3 


15.0 


12.24 


12.0 


II. 19 


II 


33 


22.0 


18.18 


16.12 


14.4 


13-6 


12.24 


12 


36 


24.0 


20.12 


18.0 


15.12 


14. 12 


13.29 


13 


39 


26.0 


22.6 


19.12 


16.20 


15.18 


15-3 


14 


42 


28.0 


24.0 


21.0 


18.0 


16.24 


16.8 


15 


45 


30.0 


25-15 


22.12 


19.8 


18.0 


^7-^3 


i6 


48 


32.0 


27.9 


24.0 


20.16 


IQ.6 


18.18 


17 


51 


34.0 


29-3 


25.12 


21.24 


20.12 


19.23 


i8 


54 


36.0 


30.18 


27.0 


23.4 


21.18 


20.28 


19 


57 


38.0 


32.12 


28.12 


24.12 


22.24 


22.2 


20 


60 


40.0 


34-6 


30.0 


25.20 


24.0 


23-7 


25 


75 


50.0 


42.18 


37.12 


32.4 


30.0 


29.1 


30 


90 


60.0 


51-9 


45-0 


38.16 


36.0 


34.26 


35 


10.5 


70.0 


60.0 


52.12 


45-0 


42.0 


40.20 


40 


120 


80.0 


68.12 


60.0 


51.12 


48.0 


46.14 


45 


135 


90.0 


77-3 


67.12 


57.24 54.0 


S2.8 


50 


^50 


100. 


85-15 


75-0 


64.8 


60.0 


58.2 



46 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



LETTERING AND GENERAL SIGN PAINTING 

Any price list for sign painters, no matter how 
carefully prepared, must be accepted as approximat- 
ing rather than being the absolute standard, for con- 
ditions vary with the locality and its state of compe- 
tition, saying ^nothing of quality of work the individ- 
ual may be able to turn out. The following table is 
taken from actual working prices ruling in shops of 
leading cities east and west. It is interesting as well 
as profitable for a sign painter to take careful ac- 
count of some jobs, covering the usual run of work 
of the shop, and thus ascertain just how much it 
costs to do the work, then by adding 25 per cent. 
for profit, see what this will total, then compare with 
this table. 

This list of prices is the same as I embodied in my 
book. The Expert Sign Painter, but to it I have 
added considerable more details, which will greatly 
extend its value in affording a ready reference for the 
busy sign man, who will find it carefully prepared. I 
have arranged this table alphabetically, in arder that 
any item may the more readily be located. 

AWNING SIGNS 

The following figures are based on six-inch letters, 
adding 10 per cent, for each additional inch height. 
The prices given govern lettering on awnings for 
stores, wagon covers, horse covers, wagon umbrellas, 
etc. When work is done in quantity, as for large con- 
cerns, allow a discount, according" to the cost or size 
of the contract. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 47 

Lettering, one color, per running foot 06 

two colors, per running foot 10 

three colors, per running foot 12c. to .15 

Shading add 2~, per cent, to above prices. 

BRASS SIGNS 

The price for a brass sign must be based upon the 
kind of work done, whether acid etched letter filled 
with cement, or a very shallow etching painted in. The 
price for the former work may run from $3.00 a square 
foot to $4.00, according to size, whether a foot square 
or more than one foot. Smaller signs may run from 
$2.00 to $4.00, for one line of letters. For two lines 
add from one-fourth to one-third more. Painted-in 
letters about 25 per cent. less. Raised letters are 
charged for by the upright inch, say 35 cents. Raised 
border charged for by the running foot, say $1.00 a 
foot. Bevelling brass sign charge per running foot, 
30 cents. Minimum charge, not less than one dollar. 
Doing an old brass sign over, which involves repolish- 
ing and filling, not less than $1 00 per square foot. 

BOARD SIGNS 

The following list is based on three coats of good 
oil paint, made from pure white lead and oil, properly 
applied, lessening the charge for two or one coat work. 
If you furnish the board and irons and put up, all 
extra. If shaded one color, add 25 per cent, extra. 

White ground and black letters, per running foot 50 

Silver or aluminum leaf, per running foot. . . , 75 

Ordinary "For Rent" signs, each i . 00 

Lettering, plain on plain ground, per square foot 25 

Same, on large boards, per square foot 20 

Gold leaf on painted ground, per square foot 30 

Silver or aluminum leaf, cut in, plain ground, per s*q. ft.. .20 
Plain lettering with paint, or cut in, per square foot 10 



48 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

BOARD SIGNS-RAISED LETTERS 

Prices same as painted letter board sign. Wooden 
letters extra. Gilding rounded or bevelled edge letters 
IOC. to 15c., according to size and thickness of letter, 
per upright inch. For aluminum or silver, allow 20 
per cent, off price for gold. 

BOARD AND GALVANIZED FASCIA SIGNS 

Per Lineal Foot. 

Gold. Silver. Paint. 

Up to 6 inches wide $ ,50 $ .50 $ .30 

12 inches wide 65 .50 .40 

18 inches wide 85 .75 .60 

24 inches wide i . 00 .85 .70 

30 inches wide 1.25 i.oo .80 

36 inches wide 1.50 1.25 .90 

The above prices are based on smalted ground and 
one-line lettering. 

After the first full line add 30 per cent, per fooi 
for additional work in gold; for silver add 25 per cent. 
For paint add 20 per cent, per foot. 

For repainting deduct 20 per cent. 

If customer furnishes board deduct 20 per cent. 

If finished in varnish add 30 per cent. 

If gold ground add 75 per cent. 

If done on both sides add 75 per cent. 

CARVED RAISED LETTERS ON FASCIA 
BOARD, WITH BLACK SMALTED GROUND 

Per Lineal Foot. 

3-inch letter, up to 14 inches wide $1 -25 

4--inch letter, 14 to 18 inches wide i .50 

5-inch letter, 18 to 24 inches wide i .75 

6-inch letter, 24 to 30 inches wide 2.00 

9-inch letter. 30 to 36 inches wide 2.50 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 49 

Letters gilded in XX gold leaf, deep shade. 

If in silver deduct 20 per cent. 

If two lines of letters add 75 per cent. 

I have before me as I write several lists of prices 
that are what may be called standard, in that they 
are used by large firms or established by associations 
of sign painters. There is not a little difference in 
the figures given for identical work. This illustrates 
again the fact that any price list formulated must be 
regarded as merely approximate, and for a more 
correct list, or one more satisfactory to the individual, 
we must work out our own. Thus, the Pittsburgh 
Association list gives, for 60 square feet of sign work, 
$10.00. The list used by a large western city firm 
charges for the same amount of surface $15.00. In the 
'former figure is included two coats of paint with the 
lettering. In the latter figure the price is for the let- 
tering alone. 

However, as affording some basis for giving esti- 
mates on, I herewith append two tables of prices : 

BOARD SIGNS OF DEFINITE SIZES— PAINT 

2 by 16 feet $ 6.00 10 by 20 feet $16.00 

2 by 20 feet 7.00 10 by 24 feet 19.00 

2 by 24 feet 8.00 10 by 30 feet 22.00 

2 by 30 feet 10.00 12 by 16 feet 14.00 

3 by 16 feet 8.00 12 by 20 feet. 18.00 

3 by 20 feet 10.00 12 by 24 feet 20.00 

3 by 24 feet 12.00 12 by 30 feet 25.00 

3 by 30 feet 14.00 14 by 20 feet 20.00 

4 by 16 feet 9.00 14 by 24 feet 24.00 

4 by 20 feet 12.00 14 by 30 feet 28.00 

4 by 24 feet i3-00 16 by 24 feet 26.00 

4 by 30 feet i5-00 16 by 30 feet 30.00 

6 by 16 feet 12.00 20 by 24 feet 30.00 

6 by 20 feet 14.00 20 by 30 feet 35-00 



50 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

6 by 24 feet 16.00 20 by 40 feet 40.00 

6 by 30 feet 18.00 21 by 30 feet 37-00 

8 by 16 feet 14.00 24 by 36 feet 42.00 

8 by 20 feet 16.00 24 by 40 feet 48,00 

8 by 24 feet 18.00 30 by 40 feet 60.00 

8 by 30 feet 20.00 30 by 50 feet 70.00 

10 by 12 feet 10.00 30 by 60 feet 80.00 

10 by 16 feet 13.00 

A LIST OF PRICES FOR SMALLER BOARDS 
THAN ABOVE 

Paint. Gold. 

6 inches by 4 feet $2.50 $ 4.00 

8 inches by 6 feet 3.50 5.00 

10 inches by 8 feet 4.00 6.00 

12 inches by 12 feet 5.00 7.50 

11 inches by 15 feet 5.00 8.56 

14 inches by 16 feet 5.00 8.50 

14 inches by 18 feet 6.00 9.00 

14 inches by 20 feet 6.00 9.50 

16 inches by 16 feet 6.00 5.50 

16 inches by 18 feet 6.00 10.00 

18 inches by 18 feet 6.00 10.00 

18 inches by 20 feet 7.00 12.00 

18 inches by 24 feet 7.00 i5-00 

18 inches by 30 feet 8.00 18.00 



BULLETIN SIGNS 

Mr. G. G. O'Brien, the largest operator in signs of 
all descriptions, particularly in bulletin and wall signs, 
tells me that in all the cities he is familiar with the 
price of a bulletin sign includes the rental in all cases. 
The prices vary from 25 cents per running foot to 40 
cents a month, for all ordinary locations, on a yearly 
contract, including painting and repainting. Specially 
good location will advance the price beyond 40 cents a 
running foot, and on less than yearly contracts the 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 51 

price is proportionately higher. For these figures the 
work is to be strictly first-class in every particular. 
Prices also vary as to city. Ec[ual degrees of work 
may bring more or less according to local conditions. 
Where the territory for bulletin display is large, as at 
Buffalo, Cleveland, Philadelphia, etc., rentals are 
lower, and hence prices are lower. Territory about 
the city of Pittsburgh is limited, owing to the broken 
or hilly character of the land, and hence prices are 
higher, as occurs in all cases where a supply is less than 
the demand. 

As regards the mechanical side of the matter, he 
says : *Tut up as good boards as you can get built, 
then paint them as good as you know how. Prices 
will likely be according to the quality of your work. 
The location of the sign will of course have to be good. 
Wq have one sign in this city (Pittsburgh) for which 
the advertiser pays us $175 a month; but it is an ex- 
pensive location. As a rule, advertisers will pay liber- 
ally for the work where both work and location are 
good." 

There is the same degree of indefiniteness about 
prices on bulletin work as obtains with the other forms 
of sign work. There can be no standard that will suit 
every case. Some bulletin painters simply make a bid 
on the work, basing the bid on what thev suppose they 
can do the job for, just as frequently occurs in house 
painting. Some estimate the work by the square foot. 
One painter says that from $1 ; to $30 a year for a sec- 
tion 9 feet by 12 feet would be a fair price, with an al- 
lowance of one-third off for renewals, where the orig- 
inal painting is to continue for another year. When a 
bulletin board is divided up into small sections the total 
yield will be much more than where the entire board 
is sold to one party. Of course doing the smaller sec- 



52 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

tions requires much more time than doing the sign as 
a whole. 

Pictorial not duplicated must be charged for at 
higher rates than plain work. Certain parts of the 
space will be more valuable to an advertiser than cer- 
tain other parts. The top, for instance, is more desir- 
able a position than the bottom. 

Be sure what work you are to do, and where it is 
to go, before concluding any contract. 

Bulletin signs may be bought ready-made, in sec- 
tions ready for the posts; these are of sheet steel. 

Sizes run from 4 by 6 feet up. Charge so much 
each up to those ten feet in height, when the charge 
may be by the running foot, say $2.00 per foot. For 
each foot above ten add 25 cents per running foot. 

When bulletins are sold in lots a discount may be 
made, say 10 per cent. If you are not- to erect the 
bulletin boards deduct say 20 per cent. The cost of 
rent of location must be added to charge. Pictorial 
backgrounds are to be charged for at the rate of say 
10 per cent. 

Bulletins ranging from 8 by 12 up to 8 by 40 feet 
charge at the rate of from $1.50 to $2.00 per running 
foot. 

From an official report compiled by the Commis- 
sioner of Accounts of New York City I have selected 
the following data concerning painted bulletin boards 
in that city. He states that there are about 3700 bill- 
boards, with an estimated area of nearly four million 
square feet. 

''The companies charge for the use of this space, 
where it is a bill-poster board, from one to two and 
one-half cents per square foot per month, or from 
twelve cents per square foot to thirty cents per square 
foot per annum. The charge for painted bulletins aver- 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 53 

ages about eighteen cents per square foot per annum. 
These prices, however, are for the ordinary locations 
in the city. The prices in the choice locations; such 
as the public squares, intersection of principal streets, 
etc., are considerably liigher. The prices include the 
cost of posting the sheet, or painting the advertise- 
ment on the bulletin board. 

'^An estimate of the gross revenue to the advertising 
companies, based upon these figures, would indicate 
that they annually receive from the billboard advertis- 
ing privilege in the city approximately one million dol- 
lars. It should be borne in mind that this figure deals 
only with billboards and does not include sky-signs, 
that is, signs erected upon walls or roofs of buildings. 

"Except in the outlying districts billboards are rarely 
used by the merchants of the city for advertising pur- 
poses. Invariably the advertisements are made up of 
the following : Whiskies, wines, beers, gins, tobacco, 
cigarettes, patent medicines, teas, chewing gum, soaps, 
breakfast foods, amusements. 

Prices on Bill Posting. — The prices for bill post- 
ing are based on a display basis, so much per sheet, for 
a certain number of days' showing, according to popu- 
lation. The following is a fair average scale of 
prices : 

Cities of i,ooo to 5,000, 3c. per sheet, 30 days show- 
ing. 

Cities of from 5,000 to 1,000, 4c. per sheet, 30 days' 
showing. 

Cities of 10,000 to 20,000, 5c. 

Cities of 20,000 to 40,000, 6c. 

Cities of 40,000 to 50,000, 7c. 

Cities of 50,000 to 100,000, 9c. 



54 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Cities of 100,000 upwards, per month, 12c. Per 
week, 3c., excepting New York City which is 14c. per 
month. 

Prices on circus work : All stands on protected 
boards, 15c. per lineal foot (running measure), or 4c. 
per sheet, per week; new boards, 20c. per running foot, 
for not above 30 days' showing; single sheets, not 
listed, 3c. per sheet. Circus posters vary in size con- 
siderably. Mercantile posters vary some but not con- 
siderably. They will average about 28 by 42 inches. 

It should be noted that the above prices are subject 
to discount in some cases, or to an advance, according 
to the size of the job and the value of the location. 

Size of Bill Boards. — Where not ruled by local re- 
strictions, make the boards 10 feet high by 20 feet in 
length. Such a board will hold exactly one 24-sheet 
poster. A 24-sheet poster is one composed of 24 
sheets, each sheet being numbered, and when put to- 
gether they form one advertisement. The board of 
this size will also hold 24 one-sheet posters, or 3 eight- 
sheet posters. 

The next size board should be 7 feet in height. 

There are some posters larger than 24-sheet, but are 
never used outside of the largest cities. 

In pasting up posters use good paste and a brush 
made for the purpose. Paste the board, not the paper. 
Have also a bucket of water, dip the brush into the 
paste, and hang the sheet of paper on the brush, at the 
top of the paper, which will hold the paper until you 
get it intQ position on the board. Simply fasten the 
sheet at the upper corners, then wash the paste out of 
the brush, using the bucket of water for this purpose, 
and then saturate the sheet with water, with the brush, 
and press it firmly to the board allowing no air to get 
under the paper. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 55 



CANVAS SIGNS ON FRAMES 

Three feet wide or less, 6oc. per running foot, up 
to 25 running feet. After first 25 feet charge i8c. 
per foot. If wider than three feet estimate at 20c. per 
square foot, up to 75 square feet. After first 75 square 
feet charge 15c. per square foot. For gold lettering 
charge 10 per cent, less than for similar work on board 
or metal. 

CAMPAIGN BANNERS 

For street display, style, ribbons, and portrait panels 
of canvas sewed on net, 14 by 30 feet, $1.50 each. Or 
charge say 30c. per square foot. 

DRUM SIGNS 

Gold. Paint. 

Single. Pairs. Single. Pairs. 

8-inch $ 2.25 $ 4.00 $ 1.05 $ 2.50 

12-inch 3.00 5.00 2.25 3.75 

iS-inch 3.75 7.00 2.75 5.00 

24-inch 4.00 7.50 3.00 5.75 

30-jnch 4.75 9.00 3.75 6.50 

36-inch 5.50 10.00 4.25 8.00 

42-inch 6.50 11.75 5-50 10.00 

48-inch 7.50 14.00 6.50 11.75 

5-feet 8.50 16.00 7.00 13-50- 

6-feet 10.00 7.00 

7-feet 13.00 9.50 

8-feet 15.00 10.00 

9-feet 18.00 13.00 

lo-feet 24.00 16.00 

Deduct 30 per cent, for lots of six or more. 
Deduct 10 per cent, for flat zinc. 
Deduct 15 per cent, if done entirely in silver 
Add 30 per cent, for every six inches over three 
feet in width. 



56 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Deduct 15 per cent, for repaints. 
Add 75 per cent, for gold grounds. 
Add 30 per cent, for silver grounds. 
Estimate bracket signs, double face, same as a pair 
of drums, less 15 per cent. 

ELECTRIC SIGNS 

The cost to the advertiser for an electric sign may 
run anywhere from $100 to $10,000, according to skilled 
labor and materials used. Yet he may buy cheaper 
signs, smaller ones, made of glass with metal frame, 
and carrying several lamps inside, costing as little as 
$20. The electric sign business is distinctly separate 
from ordinary sign work, and hence I shall not attemt 
to give any prices for such work, as it involves the work 
of the electrician as well as that of the sign maker, 
and the charges are based upon the character of the 
job, the number of lamps used, and the amount of 
electricity used. The lamps are called sockets, and each 
letter will have so many of these lamps, costing the 
advertiser about 30 cents each, not including the shell 
of letter. Roughly speaking, the cost of an electric 
sign may be had by estimating 30 cents per socket, 
taking cost of shell, cost of background, and finally 
cost of putting up, when done. The cost of sockets, 
shell and background will give you total cost of sign, 
but will include a profit. 

GLASS SIGNS 



/D 



Lettering in gold leaf, up to 6-in, height, per running ft _ 

Lettering in silver, up to 6-in. height, per running ft. . . .y^ 

Lettering in aluminum leaf same as for silver. 

Lettering in gold, from 6 to 10 in., per running ft i.oo 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 57 

Lettering in gold, from lo to 14 in. height, per run'g ft.. 1.50 
Lettering in silver, 6 to 10 inches 75 

For shading add for one color 1 5 per cent. 

Add 10 per cent, for each additional inch in height. 

Add 25 per cent, for embossed work. 

Add 10 per cent, for blended work. 

Add 20 per cent, for gold outlining with transpar- 
ent center. 

For colored background, stippled and varnished, 
charge per square foot, extra, loc. 

Gold striping on panel, according to width of stripe, 
charge from 8c. to 15c. per running foot. 

Silver or aluminum striping same, less 20 per cent. 

A sign painter says that laying silver leaf with 
water size, as done on glass, is worth the same as for 
gold leaf, deducting the difference in price of leaf. He 
adds that gold lettering is worth from loc. to a dollar 
per letter, according to amount of letters. Another 
sign painter figures by the running foot, but adds that 
it makes the totals look big to the customer, hence he 
finds that charging 8c. per upright inch and he will be 
satisfied, and money can be made at his price, he says. 

Of course, it is below the regular rate, a six-inch 
letter making 48c., but all depends upon circumstances. 
Some work can be done at a profit at 50c. per foot per 
six-inch letter. Some charge a dollar. 

The amount of lettering to be done affects the 
charge, for where we would charge say $1.00 per five 
feet lineal we would charge only about 50c. per 100 
feet, lineal. 

Then there are signs done on glass and by stencil, 
in which leafing is the principal material used, and for 
such work prices must be made to suit, being based 
on amount of labor and material. No set of prices 
can very well be given, in this connection. 



58 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

For other glass signs or lettering with leaf see under 
different heads, as office transoms, etc. 

GILDING ON GLASS 

Work done on windows ; if done on ground floor 
increase rate by 20 per cent. 



Per Lineal Foot. Gold. Silver. 

5-inch letter, one shade or lined $ .80 $ .60 

6-inch letter, one shade or lined 90 .67 

8-inch letter, one shade or lined i.oo .75 

lo-inch letter, one shade or lined 1.30 .^y 

4-inch or less outlined, or with ground, 

per lineal foot $1.00 

For each additional shade add 20 per cent. 

For ornamental face add 30 per cent. 

For blended shade add 40 per cent. 

For each additional upright inch to letters add 15 
per cent. 

For embossed work add 25 per cent. 

For gilded outline lettering with transparent center 
add 25 per cent. 

For colored background stippled and varnished add 
10 per cent, per square foot extra. 

For gold or silver lines around panels, f inch wide, 
10 cents per lineal foot. Up to one-half inch, per 
lineal foot, 20 cents. 

A sketch should be made for each order, which 
helps in making a correct estimate, md often secures 
a job. Draw to a scale of J-inch to the foot. 

GLASS FASCIA PANELS, INTERIORS 

Charge per square 'foot $3-00 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 59 

GLASS SWING SIGNS, IN FANCY FRAMES 

Charge $3.00 per square foot, glass measure, up to 
$5.00 per square foot. 

GLASS SWING HALL SIGNS, ONE SIDE. 

On frosted glass, lettered in black or colors, same 
as swing signs in color letter. 

LAUNDRY SIGNS 

These are board signs placed on the sidewalk. They 
are mostly done with paint lettering, but sometimes 
gold or aluminum leaf is used. The prices here given 
are for both sides. For single boards charge as for 
similar lettering on signs. For lots of ten or more, 
use the following list of prices : 

Sise. Paint. Gold. Aluminum. 

12 by 18 inches, each $1.00 $i-50 $1.25 

14 by 20 inches, each 1.25 1.75 1.50 

16 by 24 inches, each 1.50 2.00 1.75 

18 by 30 inches, each 1.75 2.50 2.00 

20 by 36 inches, each 2.00 3.25 2.50 

24 by 36 inches, each 2.50 3.75 3.00 

24 by 48 inches, each 3.00 4.75 3.5a 

OFFICE LETTERING 
FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS 



Paint or Aluminum. Gold. 

i-inch letters, each 05 .12 

2-inch letters, each .07 .15 

3-inch letters, each 10 .2a 



60 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

JAPANNED TIN SIGNS 

Si^e Gold. Paint. 

Sizes up to 3 by 14 inches, one line $ .80 $ .50 

Sizes from above 3 x 14 to 6 x 18, one line. ... 1.25 .75 

Sizes up to 10x14, two to three lines 1.50 .80 

Sizes up to 12x17, two to three lines 1.60 i.oo 

Sizes up to 14x20, two to three lines 2.25 1.50 

Sizes up to 18x24, two to four lines 3.00 2.00 

Sizes up to 20x28, two to four lines 3.75 2.75 

Sizes up to 24x30, two to four lines 4.50 3.25 

Sizes up to 24x36, two to four lines 5.50 4.00 

These prices include outlining and shading, and are 
for the tin and lettering. Such signs are used mainly 
by physicians and dentists. Some make the prices 
for lettering with paint and aluminum 25 per cent, of 
the prices given for gold. By this method the prices 
for paint given would be increased. The prices given 
are for single sign, and where ten or more are ordered 
at one time, same reading, a discount of about 20 per 
cent, may be allowed. For lettering on aluminum leaf 
a discount of 20 per cent, may be given. 



MUSLIN SIGNS, UNMOUNTED 

Ordinary, per square yard 45 

50 or more square yards, per square yard 40 

100 or more square yards, per square yard 35 

For muslin sign, mounted, add 10 per cent, per lineal 
foot to above prices. 
Muslin banners for railway cars, per square yard 45 

Add $1.50 a banner for sewing and rope. 

Some charge loc. per square foot for muslin sign 
work, which would make double the above list price. 
But this is for one square yard sign only, decreasing 
the rate as the size increases, so that a sign four square 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 61 

yards would be at rate of 7c. per square foot, and for an 
area of 300 square feet the charge would be 5c. per 
square foot, or 45c. per square yard. 

Others charge by the lineal foot, same as lettering 
on wood, grading the price by the height of the letters. 
Colored work is charged extra, say 20 per cent. The 
same rate applies to pictorial work. For cut-in work 
add 2c. per square foot additional. You furnish mus- 
lin in all cases, but charge extra for frame, moulding, 
etc., for frame adding 2c. per square foot of sign. 
Banding and moulding each ic. per square foot of sign. 



OIL CLOTH SIGNS 

Ordinary, per square foot 15 

40 or more square feet 12 

75 or more square feet 11 

Frames additional, 4c. per square foot of sign. 
Cut-in work 2c. per square foot of sign additional. 
Banding ic. per square foot of sign additional, 
^^loulding IC. per square foot of sign additional. 
Fancy background, 25 per cent, extra. 
Painting before lettering, per square foot. 2c. 

Paint. Gold. 

5-inch letters, each 11 .22 

6-inch letters, each 13 .25 

7-inch letters, each 15 .30 

8-inch letters, each 18 .35 

Ordinary one-stroke letters in paint, each 5c. 
Shading or other fancy work, add 20 per cent. 
Office transoms, gold, numbers, each numeral up to 
99. 25c. 

Each numeral after 99, gold, 20c. 



62 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Numerals in any paint color, each, 50 per cent, less 
than for gold. Silver or aluminum same as paint. 
Estimates are based on sizes up to five inches. 

POSTERS, HAND-PAINTED 

4-sheet $1.00 

8-sheet 1.25 

12-sheet 1.50 

16-sheet 1.65 

20-sheet 1.85 

24-sheet 2.20 

32-sheet 2.60 

36-sheet 2.90 

40-sheet 3.35 

Fifteen per cent, discount for dozen or more. For 
ornamental work, add 25 per cent. 



REAL ESTATE SIGN BOARDS 

Real Estate or For Sale boards may be either hand- 
painted or stencilled, and the price must be made ac- 
cordingly. Also, the charge will be much more for 
one or few than for quantities. Some charge a dollar 
for a two by three feet board, in lots of 25 or less. 
In 100 lots they charge 90 cents each. For all sizes 
larger than two by three the charge is per square loot, 
I cent, with a reduction of i cent per square foot for 
lots of 25. Stencilled signs may be done for about 
one-fourth the price of hand-painted signs. That is, 
they may be sold at that rate. 

Prices vary on this kind of work in different cities, 
and even in different shops in a city. Where some 
charge i cent per square foot for a certain size of sign. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 63 

Others will charge twice as much. That is, they claim 
to do so, but competition being keen, you may be sure 
that the price is not infrequently cut down. 

Real estate signs painted white and cut-in with 
black may be done cheaper than black letters on white 
.ground signs. Where more than one color is used an 
extra charge must be made. The area of a sign board 
has to do with the price. Thus, a sign containing say 
lo square feet will cost a third more per square foot 
than one having an area of lOO square feet. 



PRICE LIST 

:io by 12 inches, in lots of 25 or more, each 50 

in lots of less than 25, each 60 

for a single one 90 

12 to 18 inches, in lots of 25 or more, each 75 

in lots of less than 25, each 85 

for a single one i.oo 

12 by 24 inches, in lots of 25 or more, each i.oo 

in lots of less than 25, each 1.15 

for a single one 1.50 

-24 by T,6 inches, in lots of 25 or more, each 2.00 

in lots of less 'than 25, each 2.25 

for a single one 2.50 

.36 by 48 inches, in lots of 25 or more, each 3.00 

in lots of less than 25, each 3.25 

for a single one 3.75 

The above includes the boards an-d two coats of the 
best white lead paint; it is for best work. Discount 
may be made to suit circumstances — a statement al- 
ways well to make when speaking of prices. Rather 
than lose a desirable job or customer one may well 
cut his prices. 



64 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

SWING SIGNS, PLAIN, TIN OR ZINC 

BOTH SIDES 

Gold. Paint. 

6 by 12 inches $2.00 $1.50 

10 by 14 inches 3.00 2.00 

12 by 18 inches 3.25 2.25 

14 by 20 inches 3.50 2.75 

18 by 24 inches 4.50 3.00 

24 by 30 inches 7.00 5.00 

24 by 36 inches 8.50 5.75 

For japanned tin add 20 per cent. If on board, add 

15 per cent. If fancy shape, add 40 per cent. If on 
one side only deduct one-third. 

SILK OR SATIN LETTERING 

Gold, per Hneal foot $1.00 

Silver, per lineal foot 75 

Color or bronze, per lineal foot ' 50 



SHOW CARDS 

Small size tickets, per dozen 50 

Medium size tickets, per dozen 60 

Large size tickets, per dozen 75 ^ 

Quarter-size show cards 20 

Half-size show cards 45 

Three-quarter-size show cards 60 

Full-size show cards 75 

Above prices are for plain, quick work. For better 
work use the following list : 

Quarter-size show card, each 30 

Half-size show card, each 50 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 65 



Three-quarter-size show card, each 70 

Full-size show card, each 90 

One and one-half-size show card, each 1.30 

Double-size show card, each 1.65 

Add for fine lining*, striping, scroll work, etc., from 
10 to 15 per cent. For lots of one dozen allow a dis- 
count of 20 per cent. For fancy color card add 5 per 
cent. 

TIN STAIR STRIPS 

Done in gold or silver, per lineal foot 50 

Done in two colors, per lineal foot 30 



TRANSOMS, HOUSE NUMBERS ON 

Gold or Silver. Paint. 

Up to 8 inches high $2.50 $1.50 

If done in the shop 2.00 i.oo 

Three to five numbers, one trip 1.75 .75 

Five or more numbers, one trip 1.65 .5o 



WALL SIGNS 

These signs may be on either brick or weather- 
boarding; prices are the same. If brick wall has to be 
first-coated, add per square foot from one to three 
cents, according to condition of wall, and quality of 
paint used. For stacks or other high and difficult 
places, add two cents per square foot. For ornamental 
backgrounds add 15 to 25 per cent., according to kind 
and amount of work. Estimates are based on square 
feet of surface painted and lettered. Prices range 
from ten cents per square foot up to 100 square feet. 



66 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

to five cents per square foot for 500 square feet or 
more. This is for ordinary plain lettering; more or 
less fancy lettering, with colors, add from one to two 
cents per square foot. For extra coat of paint add 
one cent per square foot. 



WAGON LETTERING 

Aluminum. Gold. Paint. 

Plain, one color, per lineal foot 25 .40 .20 

Same, with one shading 35 ,50 .30 

Same, with ornamental work 45 .60 .40 

The above prices are for letters up to five inches. 
For every inch above five add two cents. Pictorial or 
other fancy or ornamental work may be charged for at 
the rate of i.oo an hour. 

WOVEN WIRE SIGNS 

The charge for the wire mesh sign ready for the let- 
ters is about, per square foot 25 

Add for painting mesh, if required, per square foot 08 

Charge for erection of sign, per square foot 35 

Galvanized iron letters and attaching same, per verti- 
cal inch 10 

Gilding galvanized iron letters, per vertical inch 15 

Wooden letters and attaching same, per vertical inch 08 

Gilding wooden letters, vertical inch 10 

Aluminum leafing 08 

WINDOW SHADE LETTERING 

Gold, per lineal foot 50 

Silver, per lineal foot 40 

Paint, per lineal foot 35 

Add 10 per cent, for shading. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 69 



PART SECOND 



COST SYSTEM 



Do business men deceive themselves as to the actual 
cost of conducting business? Probably this question 
has been asked so many times and answered in the 
affirmative so often that it has lost its force by repe- 
tition. Here is an actual case that came under the 
writer's observation. It w^as given to him by the head 
of the firm, who is a bright business man, but had 
only been guessing as to what it cost the firm to carry 
on the sheet metal branch of their business. 

For a number of years the firm had been doing 
business on the guessing plan as to the actual cost of 
conducting it. Quite an interest was taken in the firm 
by an outside party who demanded that an up-to-date 
cost system be installed. This was done in all depart- 
ments at a cost of $600. The latter figure will give 
some idea of the business requiring an outlay of that 
sum for a cost system. The sheet metal work was only 
a part of the business done by the firm, but no separate 
account heretofore had ever been kept of that partic- 
ular part of the business. For several years the firm 
had been doing a particular piece of sheet metal work 
on a certain class of houses at a price of $27, and un- 
til the cost system was installed thought they w^ere 
making money on each one of these jobs. The firm 
was surprised to find that the actual cost of this work 
w^as $34. This made no allowance for any profit. 
Needless to say that no more contracts were taken at 



70 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

the $27 price. This firm had been taxing one branch 
of its business to make up the loss of another simply 
because no systematic cost system had been kept. 

The cost of doing business is a very important item 
and once in a while there is perhaps a man who wakes 
up to the fact that he has been under-guessing rather 
than over-guessing the correct amount. — The Metal 
Worker. 

BOOK KEEPING 

Book keeping, in its plainest definition, is simply 
writing down what one cannot conveniently carry in 
the memory. While there are many very elaborate sys- 
tems of keeping accounts, seemingly intricate yet not 
so because exceedingly systemized and classified, yet 
for the painter it would seem that the best method 
would be a very plain one, with as few details as pos- 
sible. The jour's time report is, perhaps, the simplest 
form, It is a record of work done and materials used, 
the bills for the goods used being on file and supple- 
menting the time reports. With these there can be 
used a plainly ruled day book, we might call it, in 
which to note the daily transactions. 

With a great mass of printed matter before the edi- 
tor, relating to the subject, it is difficult to arrange 
some clear method for the painter's use in keeping 
track of his business, so much of it is good, with some 
not quite practical. I have endeavored, however, to 
perform the task. I have selected the best of the points 
given by various leading men in the business, and have 
arranged them in order, for easy reading and under- 
standing. First is given a very fine article by Mr. 
J. P. Fisher, book keeper for one of the largest paint- 
ing and decorating firms in Pittsburgh, Pa. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 71 

UP-TO-DATE BOOK KEEPING 

The office of the paint shop should be equipped with 
a blotter, journal, cash book and ledger as principals 
and separate charge and credit books for material, 
petty cash books, time book and labor record as aux- 
iliary books. The blotter, if used in the manner I 
recommend, might be called a day book, although in 
the literal sense, it is a record to which many have 
access. Some concerns combine the day book and jour- 
nal, in which case the former loses its identity. The 
blotter is compiled by contributions from the auxiliary 
books and charges should be completed therein and 
extended upon completion of work. This will exped- 
ite billing and, if it is the custom to execute bills on 
the typewriter, the blotter can be handed to the steno- 
grapher without fear of disclosing entries in the jour- 
nal that should probably be confined to the employer 
and bookkeeper. It will also facilitate journalizing in 
condensed form. 

As a means of reducing work I would advise the 
use of the six column journal and six column cash 
book. In the journal two columns each can be classi- 
fied as sundries and merchandise and the third can be 
used for the account making the most frequent de- 
mands for recognition. The columns on the debit side 
of the cash book could be designated sundries and 
merchandise and the third reserved to carry the bal- 
ance. On the credit side the columns could be repre- 
sented bv sundries, merchandise and expense. The 
totals of these columns would be posted to their re- 
spective accounts monthly, thereby reducing the work 
of posting and saving considerable space in the ledger. 

Presuming that all shops furnish their workmen 
with time sheets on which to record their daily labor, 



72 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

we will dwell momentarily on these slips and their 
treatment. After being carefuly audited, they should 
be transferred to the time book. In recording the time 
only the total number of hours should be entered, for 
notwithstanding the time books are usually provided 
with columns for week days, this detail has been fully 
covered on the time sheets and to duplicate the figures 
would entail unnecessary work. 

The time sheets should then be summarized for the 
purpose of condensing the accounts. Where possible, 
figures should be proven and is especially applicable in 
this case. The footings of the* numerous time sheets 
should be totaled and compared with the summary 
sheet, and if correct should correspond. While this 
will not necessarily guarantee that work has been 
charged to the proper accounts, it will at least indicate 
that all time has been accounted for. The contents 
of the summary sheet is then transcribed in the labor 
record, which should be ruled with numerous columns 
to receive the different accounts and distribute them 
in the various classifications the work covers, such as 
painting, tinting, frescoing, flower painting, etc. 

The petty cash book is used only for transactions in 
which the cash drawer is involved. The contents of 
this book and likewise that of the time book are ab- 
sorbed by the principal cash book. 

In this connection a few suggestions to wit : — The 
ledger is a book used to summarize all business trans- 
actions and to show the standing of all personal and 
miscellaneous accounts. In posting the amount, date 
and folio will suffice. Eliminate the words "to" and 
''by" and avoid explanations. Open accounts only for 
regular customers. Transient buyers should be classed 
in a ''petty" or "sundries" account, and if arrang"ed 
alphabeticallv will not require indexing'. The same 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 73 

rule applies to ''creditors" from whom purchases are 
made frequently. Incidentals, however, should remain 
on file until paid, and then charged direct to merchan- 
dise or expense. 

The cash account in the ledger should contain only 
the monthly totals of the receipts and disbursements, 
which will enable a trial balance to be taken from the 
ledger without referring to any other books. 

Bank accounts should not be kept in the ledger. It 
is more practical to keep the balance on the stub of the 
cheque book by entering the deposits and deducting the 
cheques drawn. 

Balancing accounts each month and carrying down 
the balance is an absurdity, as it involves wholly un- 
necessar}^ work. All accounts excepting those repre- 
senting resources and liabilities should remain open 
until they are self-balanced or cancelled by a journal 
entry, when they can be closed by ruling a single red 
line. 

Bills should be sent immediately upon completion of 
work, or in accordance with the terms of credit. State- 
ments should be rendered monthly, not entirely as a de- 
mand for payment, but for comparison and the detec- 
tion of errors that might exist. 

Invoices, when received, should be carefully ex- 
amined. First, to determine that the goods were re- 
ceived ; secondly, that the prices named are correct, and 
thirdly, that the extensions and footings are accurate. 
The latter is especially important, as bill clerks are but 
human and liable to err, and the only way to detect 
their mistakes is by mathematical application. When 
statements are received, usually about the first of the 
month, they should be compared with the invoices and 
the total amount entered in the journal. This method, 
which may involve a number of invoices to one ac- 



<4 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



C(junt, will, in journalizing and posting- to the ledger, 
tMitail the use of only one line in the respective books. 
The statement can be employed in making and accom- 
panying remittances and when returned can be filed 
^vith receipts. 

It is sometimes of interest to have an explicit state- 
ment of expenses at the end of the year, for the pur- 
pose of comparison, and to this end the expense account 
could be dissected and separate accounts opened for the 
various disbursements. 

Trial balances, or balance sheets, should be taken off 
at least quarterly, although monthly is more commend- 
able, in that it lessens the possibility of error and facili- 
tates checking in search of incorrect entries. 

Preparatory to closing books at established periods, 
I he most important detail is stock taking. All salable 
merchandise should be listed and calculated at its act- 
ual worth. Allowance must be made for depreciation 
commensurate with the decrease forced by conditions. 
Exaggerated appraisements and inflated values only 
•serve to create a false asset and practice a deception 
1 )n the real status of the business. The same theory is 
applicable to the treatment of accounts. All accounts 
should be closed into profit and loss just as soon as it 
is proven conclusively that they are uncollectable. In 
some instances, a suspense account is maintained for 
this class of debtors, but this is more or less of an eva- 
sion, for, while in this state they are carried as an 
asset, which is misleading, and their appearance on the 
balance sheet under that title would not serve to 
strengthen the document. They are eventually buried 
in the profit and loss account, which should have re- 
ceived them in the first place, for in event of recovery 
of any of the amounts, a reopening of the account is a 
trifling matter. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 75 

The office is an invaluable accessory to the operating 
department. It is, in a measure, a panacea for the ills 
of its associate, and while not always in position to 
prescribe, it can invariably, if properly systematized, 
point to the source of trouble and suggest remedies. 

Aside from labor, over which the counting depart- 
ment has no control, the store room or stock depart- 
ment furnishes the greatest opportunity for leakage. 
In this respect it is essential that every precaution 
should be instituted to prevent goods being removed 
without a charge or record being made. The stock 
clerk or custodian of said department should demand 
from the applicant for material a written requisition 
or form, stating the date, articles required and to whom 
chargeable. Upon the delivery of the material he 
should immediately make the charge in an auxiliary 
book arranged for the purpose. Another plan would 
be to have the requisition blank in duplicate, the orig- 
inal being deposited in the office until the order is filled 
from the duplicate and returned for verification. This 
process would insure protection in event of the memo- 
randum being mislaid or lost. 

Extreme care should also be exercised in handling 
credits, particular attention being directed to securing 
a record of the merchandise returned and placing it to 
the proper account. Confusion and complications fre- 
quently arise from failure to make a note of material 
transferred from one job to another. 

In the painting business, which deals largely with 
estimates and where competitive bidding is keen, one 
cannot figure intelligently or wnth any degree of suc- 
cess without having a thorough knowledge to the 
minutest detail of the cost of production. Many an 
apparently well regulated and prosperous concern or 
enterprise has met disaster through inability or failure 



76 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

to include in the cost of labor and material the propor- 
tionate amount of expense entailed in conducting the 
business. 

While advisable, it is not absolutely necessary to 
establish or maintain a separate cost system, for the 
information required can be readily obtained from the 
general accounts of items involving expense, such as 
salaries, rent, light, heating, postage, stationery, re- 
pairs, telephone service, maintenance of horses, 
brushes, ladders, drop cloths, etc. In fact any outlay 
that is non-productive and commonly known as "over- 
head charges" increase the cost of operation and must 
be computed in order to name a price that would 
lealize a profit. 

To ascertain the amount adequate to cover the cost 
it would be only necessary to take the expense account 
of the classifications named above, and figure the pro- 
portion the total for a certain space of time, say a year, 
bears to the volume of buiness transacted in the same 
period. This will give you a percentage which must 
be added to the purchase price of material and labor to 
determine the actual net cost. 

Expressage, freight, drayage and other incidentals 
that pertain to merchandise, should be charged ac- 
cordingh^ as it is the account that is the direct bene- 
ficiary and must make provision to cover such contin- 
gencies in arranging* a selling price. 



CLASSIFIED RECORD OF MATERIAL, WAGES 
AND EXPENSE 

Take a small blank book, one with lines ruled hori- 
zontally, pages about the size of a sheet of typewriter- 
paper, or 8^ by 1 1 inches. With red ink rule vertically 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 77 

lines making seven division, or columns, with head 
spaces in which place the items, as follows : 

Name I Date I Total I Material j Supplies [ Expense j Wages 

We will call this the Purchase Journal, which 
name may be marked on the blank book. At the end 
of a month take all merchandise bills for the month 
and enter them in the purchase journal. Under head- 
ing Name enter name of party goods are from. Give 
date of the bill under the next heading. Give amount 
of bill in the third column. In the fourth column the 
bills or parts of bills are for materials. In the fifth 
column enter supplies bought, such as tools, etc. In 
the next column enter bills for miiscellaneous things, 
such as rent, printing, advertising, and so on. In the 
last column enter wages. At foot of each column, add 
up total of column, and you will then have a correct 
presentation of all the business of the month, which 
may be seen at a glance. 



FILING AND CHECKING INVOICES 

Have a certain place or container for unpaid bills. 
Those small pasteboard drawers that are used in offices 
may be used for this purpose, though any convenient 
pasteboard box, or large manila envelope, properly and 
plainly marked, are good. But have a certain place for 
such things, so that you may be able to lay your 
hands on them, in the dark, if needs be. When you pay 
a bill be sure to get a receipt, and file this receipt in a 
place as suggested for the bills unpaid. 

Letter files, an indexed receptacle in book form, and 
costinf^- 2^ cents, are very useful for holding bills 



73 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

and receipts, as by means of the index letter you can 
turn to any desired invoice in a moment, and it also 
keeps all bills or receipts from one firm together, 
whereas, if kept in a box you will have to sort over all 
to get the one you want. 

Start a new file each year. Look over all letters and 
invoices and any that are of no more use destroy, and 
thus simplify the contents of the file. Mark the letter 
file book with year. 

Check the invoices carefully, and compare with pre- 
viou:. invoices from same firm, to detect possible 
errors, which are liable to occur even with a syste- 
matic clerk. 



KEEP RECORD OF SALES 

To record sales, have a duplicate set of bill heads, 
and use carbon tracing paper betw^een, making out the 
bill with indelible pencil with sharp point, which will 
give an exact copy for your own use. Or cut some 
blank paper to the size of your bill head, and trace 
duplicate on that. At the end of the month fasten all 
these duplicate bills together by means of a small brass 
fastener ; separate the bills month by month by means 
of a thin sheet of pasteboard between. 

If necessary to make any allowance during the 
month, give the customer a memorandum of credit on 
one of your bill heads, but copy i: on paper of some 
distinct color, so that it can be recognized at once as 
a credit slip and not a regular bill 

The totals of all duplicate bills for the month, less 
all duplicate credit memos, will show net amount of 
your sales for the month. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 79 

RENDERING BILLS 

The proper time to render a bill for work done or 
goods delivered is when the transaction is complete; 
that is, when the work is finished, and when the goods 
have been delivered. Never delay an hour after this. 
The customer wants his bill, that he may look it over 
to see if it is right. You want your money at the earl- 
iest possible date. Much trouble, even lawsuits, has 
resulted from long delayed bills, and where some errors 
occurred that caused the trouble that might easily have 
been adjusted if done when the transaction of work or 
goods was fresh in mind. My own experience has been 
that the only time that I have had difficulty in settling 
an account was when I did not receive the bill for a 
long time after it was due. 

If you think your customer would be offended by a 
prompt bill, then make a memorandum on it, stating 
that it is a statement of the account, and not a demand 
for settlement. This is not usually done by business 
houses until some time after the bill, of the first of the 
month, has been sent, and the "Statement" is really a 
little reminder that the bill is past due. But do not 
let a bill get too old, for the fresher it is the easier it is 
to collect, and vice versa. Nor forget to return a cour- 
teous acknowledgment when the bill is paid. Show that 
you appreciate the payment, as of course you do. Little 
courtesies in business are invaluable. 

It is the experience of painters that when they buy a 
bill of goods from the paint or varnish house they get 
an invoice of same at once, and this is also a bill, pay- 
able within a stated time. If you are slow at paying 
time you will soon get a gentle reminder of the fact. 
Do the same when doing work for a customer; your 
labor and running expenses, also material Avhen you 



80 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

fnrnish that, are goods delivered, and should be paid 
for within a certain time. 



THE MATTER OF CREDITS 

Credits involve your own payment of bills. Avoid 
all debts possible. It is hard to do business without 
seeking and using credit, however, and here is a rock 
that has shipwrecked many a painter. Credits are easy, 
a master painter can get all the credit he wants, and it 
looks good to him, as a rule. But be prompt in pay- 
ment of bills. Thirty, sixty, ninety days, they roll 
around surprisingly quick, and are apt to find you 
unprepared for payment. It is better to buy and pay 
as you go. If you have a contract on hand, involving 
considerable material, and payments are to be made to 
the men every week, you want to figure out how to 
meet all demands promptly. It might be better to estab- 
lish an account with a bank, and borrow money at six 
per cent., than to accept goods on credit, for cash 
certainly will buy much cheaper than credit. In order 
to be able to borrow at the bank one must have prop- 
erty sufficient to safeguard the bank, or some accept- 
able endorser, and there are places where the character 
of the man and his business habits insure for him a 
reasonable amount of credit at his local bank. For a 
bank does not regard property that a man has so much 
as the man himself, for it is a fact that some monied 
men are the hardest to get payments out of. 

Gettinp- easy credit yourself may induce you to ex- 
tend the same to a customer, and it is all wrong. In 
case of a contract there should be periods during the 
performance of the work when you should receive a 
certain amount of the contract price. If this is nol 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 81 

Stipulated in the contract your customer will likely 
be offended if you ask him for money before the work 
is done. A man will have his house painted, and in 
making a bargain with the painter will say nothing 
about when the amount is to be paid, for he will think, 
only too correctly, that the painter can be stood off for 
an indefinite time after the work is done. The amount 
may be large. The cost of the labor on the job is say 
54 per cent., and the cost of material or stock is say 26 
per cent., and practically 20 per cent, is expense, half 
of which is cash. Of your business outgo 64 per cent, 
is strictly cash. Looking at the matter in this light it 
is easily seen that you cannot afford to give long credit. 

Look into the financial standing of a man before you 
take his work, if you are not acquainted with him. You 
can of course place a mechanic's lien on a new building, 
and the same may hold good as a bluff on an old house, 
but it takes money to get judgment, with delays, 
trouble and loss of time before you can collect the 
money, saying that you can collect it at all. The con- 
tractor or owner may set up the defence that the work 
is not up to contract, or according to specifications, this 
coming usually a long time after the w^ork has been 
finished. It is a migthy good rule to keep out of law, 
and it is better to turn a doubtful order down than to 
take any chances with it. 

There is no reason why a painter should not ask a 
prospective customer for references than for the mer- 
chant or material man to ask it of the painter. An in- 
stalment house, for instance, will look up your stand- 
ing, and even if they make a mistake they can recover 
their goods ; but the painter cannot recover when his 
goods consists largely of time and labor expended. 

Have printed on all your bill heads the words, 
''Terms Cash.' This will give the customer a chance 



82 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

to arrangfe terms, to accept the work and pay the bill, 
or ask 'or an extension of time, as a favor, or to do 
his fault-findiner right then and there. Also when the 
job is done send a statement, and with it a note say- 
ing that if there is anything wrong with the work it 
must be pointed out now, for rectification, or no allow- 
ance will be made after so many days ; merchants fol- 
low this plan when shipping goods. 

It is the ambition of the master painter to secure all 
the work possible, but he should take none that is not 
perfectly safe and good in every way. Then collect 
closely and discount your bills. 



TRADE DISCOUNTS 

The commonly accepted definition of the term ''dis- 
count" is that it is interest paid in advance — a deduc- 
tion of interest made by a banker or moneylender at 
the time the loan is made; a reduction or abatement 
allowed by the seller to the buyer, and is applied in a 
a variety of ways, its use depending largely upon the 
nature of the business to which it relates. Discount is 
usually expressed at a rate per cent. 

There are two kinds of discount, bank discount and 
trade discount. Bank discount is the interest on a note 
or other debt, for the unexpired term with three days 
added, before it is due, and because it is deducted from 
the face value of the note or debt, it is called discount, 
and this is what is generally understood by the term 
discount. Trade discount is an amount written off the 
nominal or list price of goods, and is usually shown 
on the invoice, and does not depend in any way upon 
the date of payment. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 83 

Discount, as far as our purpose is concerned, may- 
be divided into four classes : Jobbers' discount, dis- 
count off the catalogue or price list, discount for cjual- 
ity, discount for cash or spot dating. 

Jobbers' discount may be defined as a discount al- 
lowed by the manufacturer to the selling agent, and 
is outside the usual rate to the retailer. 

Discount off the catalogue or list price is the regular 
discount allowed by the seller to the buyer, and should, 
in my opinion, be the gross profit to the retailer from 
his sale to his customer, but as this discount varies so 
much, it does not necessarily follow that it is so. 

Cash discount is a further allowance for prepayment 
before maturity. 

Discounts off the catalogue or list price seem to be 
fearfully and wonderfully made, ranging from i or 2 
per cent, to 85, 10 and 10 off, so that it is very evident 
that the amount of discount depends greatly on how 
high or low^ the article in question may be listed. 

The method usually adopted by the manufacturer or 
merchant is to issue a printed price list of their goods 
and wafes, but giving a different rate of discount to 
the wholesale jobber or retailer, so that the one price 
list will do all the different branches of the trade, and 
the rate is subject to the condition of the market and 
the commercial standing of the customer. For all 
the fluctuations in the market value it would be very 
inconvenient, if not impossible, to issue a new^ price 
list, hence the market price is reached by giving dis- 
counts from the list price. As no two manufacturers 
or supply houses, to my knowledge, use the same list, 
their rate of discount usually dift'ers, although the re- 
sult or net price may be practically the same. Take the 
discount, say, on brushes as an example ; while the dis- 
count of one maker may be 70 per cent, and 10 per 



84 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

cent., another one has a discount of, say, 50 per cent. 
The brush with a discount of 50 per cent, may be the 
cheapest article owing to the difference in the Hst ; or, 
suppose the regular discount off an article listed at 
$1.00 is 40 per cent, in one price list, and is listed at 
90c. in another, with 33 1/3 per cent, off, the result 
is the same, both net prices being 60c., and if it is de- 
sired to give a further reduction, this is usually done by 
an extra discount, and then we would have, say, 40 per 
cent, and 10 off and if on account of buying in large 
quantities, we would then have 40 and 10 and 10 off; 
this on the face of it looks to be a discount of 60 per 
cent., but such is not the case. The reason of this is 
that all the discounts are not computed on the list 
price, but only on the sum remaining after the pre- 
vious discount has been deducted, and is in reality very 
little more than 50 per cent. One article listed at 90c. 
with 33 1/3 and 10 and 10 off, would cost just the 
same as the article listed at $1.00 with 40 and 10 and 
10 off; but if the 90c. article had the same discount as 
the one at $10. viz., 40 per cent., it would be the same 
price with 40 and 10 and 10 off as the $1.00 -one with 
40 and 10 and 10 off. 

Discount for quality is usually expressed by giving 
a further rate of discount, and to those who can take 
advantage of this discount, will find it both profitable 
to themselves and to the seller, and of course varies in 
amount according to the margin of profit and to the 
quantity bought. 

Cash discount usually runs at the rate of i per cent, 
per month for prepayment before maturity, although 
the prevailing rate seems to be 3 per cent, off 30 days. 
The benefit of this discount is apparent to all practical 
business men, and I cannot too strongly commend it to 
vour earnest consideration, and I am sure if the manu- 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 85 

facturers or supply men would give their opinion on 
this question, they would all strongly advise taking ad- 
vantage of this discount. 

The proper proportion of this discount is impossible 
to fix, on account of the fluctuaton of market values, 
owing to the change in the price of material or labor, 
or financial stringency, so that the discount of to-day 
may be different from that of to-morrow, it being — 
as I have previously stated — almost impossible for the 
manufacturer to issue a price list every time the market 
changes. For this reason alone, the rate of discount 
must necessarily change with every variation in the 
market value of materal or labor, so that we can have 
no fixed rate of discount. 

Take the price list of sheet glass as an example. I 
think you will find that the list has remained the same 
for the last twenty years or thereabouts, but the dis- 
count has varied from as low as 25 per cent, off to 50 
per cent, or more. The proportionate rate of discount 
or profit should probably be larger on glass, on account 
of risk in handling, than perhaps any other article 
in our trade. 

The discount on brushes used in our business should 
also be large on account of the very high price list is- 
sued by most manufacturers, a brush that costs us 
about $1.25 net being listed at about $40 to $50 a 
dozen. 

As nearly all our colors, oils, turpentine, varnishes, 
white lead, putty, etc. are bought at a net price the 
only discount we can look for are quantity and short 
dating. 



«6 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

FIXED CHARGES 

In these days of keen competition the item of fixed 
charges plays a very important part in every business, 
and unless a man knows what his fixed charges amount 
to, he is figuring in the dark, because these charges 
must be provided for in making up the cost of work, 
just as much as wages and material. 

In dealing with these different items of fixed 
charges, I have classified them under five headings, 
viz. : (i) Rent and taxes; (2) Salaries, office help, etc. ; 
(3) Cartage; (4) Heat, light and telephone; (5) In- 
surance, fire and accident. 

Rent. — The first to be considered is rent. It mat- 
ters not how small the business or how little space is 
required for carrying it on, an amount of money has 
to be paid out for rent, which must be charged against 
the business. Some men in our line of trade, who own 
their dwellings, carry on their business in shops in the 
rear, but even where this is done a certain amount 
should be charged against the business for the space 
occupied. If the proprietor of the business is fortunate 
enough to own his own premises, then the rent item 
would be in the form of interest on investment, taxes, 
etc., but in any case it must be considered as a fixed 
charge. 

Office Help. — Next after rent comes salaries and 
office help (wages of workmen of course must not be 
confused with this item). This covers simply what 
might be termed the non-producers connected with the 
business, such as proprietor's drawings, book-keeping, 
stenographer, and any other office assistance required. 
Some may say, we do not keep a book-keeper, we only 
have a man come in once in a while to write up our 
books and make out our accounts, but even if this 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 8T 

system is adopted, it comes under the heading of fixed 
expenses, and must be considered. 

Cartage. — Then comes cartage, which is no small 
item, as every painter knows. If anyone will look over 
his books for the past year and figure up what this one 
item amounts to, he will surely be surprised. I ven- 
ture to say that there are many painters who are pay- 
ing out considerably more than a thousand dollars per 
year for cartage alone. 

Heating and Lighting. — These items may not be 
very important to some, but to others it is quite an ex- 
pense. The man with a small shop does not require 
much of either, but the man with more expensive prem- 
ises, who perhaps keeps men constantly employed in 
the shop, painting and glazing sash and various other 
kinds of work, has to provide for a considerable ex- 
penditure. 

Insurance. — This is a charge that affects all of us,. 
and while there is apparently nothing to show for the 
outlay no one will dispute the wisdom of keeping stock 
and buildings covered up to the required amount, as 
we cannot tell what day a fire is apt to destroy our 
buildings and stock. In the more congested districts 
in our cities, the rate is necessarily higher than in the 
outlying parts, but no matter what the rate is, a healthy 
business can quite afford to carry a full line of fire 
insurance. Under this heading also comes accident in- 
surance covering workmen. Those of us who have 
men working on high scaffolds or other hazardous 
places, will quite realize the importance of being cov- 
ered against loss in case of accident or perhaps even 
death of an employe. Many employers connected with 
the building trades have suffered heavy financial loss 
through not having their employes insured against 
accident, and yet these same employers would laugh at 



88 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

the idea of not carrying any fire insurance, but it ap- 
pears to me that one is equally as important as the 
other. 

Now, in conclusion, a natural question might he 
asked: What does all this amount to, and to what 
extent does it affect me? Let us take, for example, 
the man who is doing a business of one hundred thou- 
sand dollars per year, and I think the following figures 
are approximately correct : 

Rent and taxes i per cent, or $1000 

Salaries 5 per cent, or 5000 

Cartage i per cent, or 1000 

Heat and Light 1/5 of i per cent, or 200 

Insurance 3/4 of i per cent, or 750 

Say 8 per cent, or $7950 

From the foregoing figures it will therefore be seen 
that the fixed charges on a painting and decorating 
business of $100,000 amounts to 8 per cent., or $7,950 
on the turnover. 

I have taken the amount of $100,000 chiefly for the 
^ake of easy comparison, but at the same time I have 
little doubt there' are many who have exceeded this 
amount, and I feel satisfied that those who have done 
so will find the proportion slightly decreased, while if 
those who have done a considerably smaller business 
will look carefully and impartially into their books, 
they will find that the percentage would be consider- 
ably increased, and that the smaller the business, the 
higher the percentage of fixed charges. Of course local 
conditions will somewhat affect these figures. 

It must also be remembered that these figures would 
hardly apply to a pure decorative business, but have 
been compiled on results from what might be called 
the average painting and decorative business. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 89 

The following table shows a percentage of the fixed 
charges for one year, by a large contracting firm of 
painters, the volume of the business amounting to 
$129,589.92: 

Per Cent. 

Labor 51.55 

Shop salary 1.15 

Office salary 5.95 

Teamsters' salary 1.14 

Total labor of all kinds 59 . 83 

Barn expense 53 

Shop expense y2 

Insurance (fire and liability) 2.75 

Stationery 13 

Rent 46 

l^egal 12 

Telephone 21 

Carfare 26 

Postage 09 

Brushes i .24 

Sponges • 98 

Oil Colors 6.07 

Dry Colors 2.25 

Varnish 2.74 

All liquids (except varnish) 5.76 

Wall paper 4.59 

All other merchandise 2.02 

Interest on inventory 3.95 

^ . 94-75 

Profit 5.25 

5.25 per cent, equals $6,803.47 lOO 



SUGGESTIONS ON FIGURING COSTS 

I. Charge interest on the net amount of your total 
investment at the beginning of your business year, 
cxchisive of real estate. 



90 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

2. Charge, rental on all real estate or buildings 
owned by you and used in your business at a rate 
equal to that which you would receive if renting or 
leasing it to others. 

3. Charge in addition to what you pay for hired 
help an amount equal to what your services would be 
worth to others. Also treat in like manner the ser- 
vices of any member of your family employed in the ■ 
business but not on your regular pay-roll. 

4. Charge depreciation on all goods carried over on 
which you may have to make a less price because of 
change in style, damage or any other cause. 

5. Charge depreciation on buildings, tools, fixtures, 
or anything else suffering from age or wear and tear. 

6. Charge amounts donated or subscriptions paid. 

7. Charge all fixed expenses, such as taxes, insur- 
ance, water, light, fuel, etc. 

8. Charge all incidental expenses, such as drayage, 
postage, office supplies, livery or expense of horses 
and wagons, telegrams and 'phones, advertising, can- 
vassing, etc. 

10. Charge collection expense. 

11. Charge any other expense not enumerated 
above. 

12. When you have ascertained what the sum of all 
the foregoing items amounts to prove it by your books 
and you will have your total expense for the year. 
Then divide this figure by the total of your sales and 
it will show the per cent, which it has cost you to do 
business. 

13. Take this per cent, and deduct it from the price 
of any article you have sold. Then subtract from the 
remainder what it cost you (invoice price and freight) 
and the result will show your net profit or loss on 
the article. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 91 

14. Go over the selling prices of the various articles 
you handle and see where you stand as to profits. Then 
get busy in putting your selling figures on a profitable 
basis, and talk it over with your competitor as well. 



JOURNEYMENS' TIME REPORTS 

Many different forms are in use for time reports,but 
in the main they are the same, being intended to show 
by the workman himself where he worked and what he 
did on any particular working day of the week. Some 
shops use a postal card form, which may be mailed 
to the shop daily, or delivered by the workman himself 
should he have occasion to go to the shop at the end 
of the day's work. This is very handy in case the work 
is at quite a distance from the shop. The shop pays 
for the cards and mailing. Six are placed for each 
man on the job, in the foreman's envelope,, when the 
job is out of town, and the cards being* addressed to 
the shop, the workman simply notes down what he 
did that day, detailing exactly all the work he was 
engaged in during the day. He gives location of 
w^ork, and number of hours he made. This card must 
be mailed that evening, or not later than early the next 
morning. A printed note at bottom of card may read 
thus : 'Tay for this day will be withheld if time is not 
filled in correcth^" The workman also fills in with his 
name and his home address, and date in full. 

This makes an accurate time report for one day; 
accurate if no errors have been made, and which would 
likely be discovered some time by the end of the week. 
On account of the notice as to correct rendering of 
time the painter is apt to be care^ful in filling out his 
card. 



9^ THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

Where weekly time reports are used they should be 
in the hands of the book-keeper at the shop by not 
later than the morning of pay day, say before 8 A. M. 
The boss or superintendent should examine the time 
cards carefully and compare with the slip furnished by 
the foreman in charge of the job. This will give the 
book-keeper time to have the workman's pay in his 
envelope in time for its payment. The pay envelopes 
are to be addressed to the men for whom they are in- 
tended, each envelope bearing the name of the man 
entitled to receive it. The envelopes can be delivered 
to the foreman of the job on the afternoon of the pay 
day, whether this be Saturday or Monday. Some pay 
Friday afternoon. With this work out of the way the 
shop may be closed up early on pav day. 

Some shops keep the weekly time reports on small 
pocket-size books, which are easily lost and never en- 
tirely satisfactory. Better have a larger book, one that 
will hold the reports for several years, say from two to 
more, according to size of business. These records 
will be very useful and interesting in comparing one 
season with another. Also ,it enables you to look up 
any men who may have been employed but a short 
time. 

The card index system for keeping the time as well 
as material records of each job, with provision for 
entering contract price, and total net cost, as well as the 
percentage for overhead expenses and the profit and 
loss, is to be preferred, it will be easiest referred to in 
future years, when bids for repainting are asked. And 
it would be well to enter on the backs of the cards the 
name of the foreman in charge of that job, as well as 
any special features that have lessened or increased the 
cost of the work. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 93 



ESTIMATES AND COSTS 

Very satisfactory and definite forms of estimating 
have come into common use, yet circumstances vary so 
that eternal vigilance is necessary to prevent occasional 
losses. Some shops have adopted blanks on which the 
estimate is made up in detail, and which can later be 
compared with the books to verify the judgment of 
the firm as to the stock and labor consumed. Such 
blanks can also contain such other information as may 
be necessary to record, and yet which cannot be shown 
on the books. 

The matter of submitting estimates is of especial im- 
portance, and no work is too small to receive other than 
careful attention. The use of duplicate estimate blanks 
has been adopted, and this has done much to impress 
customers with our safer business principles, and also 
has done much to prevent those former misunderstand- 
ings that left a worse feeling than open disagreements, 
and all estimate blanks should be filed under an index. 



THE CONTRACT FORM 

One of the simplest and best printed forms is that 
in use by the Society of Master House Painters and 
Decorators of Massachusetts, and it is simply dupli- 
cate sheets 4 by 64^ inches, tablet form, with alternate 
w^hite and yellow pages. A carbon paper is placed be- 
tween, so that duplicates are produced. The w^iite 
paper, showing the pencil writing, is given to the cus- 
tomer, while the yellow slip, showing the carbon trac- 
ing, is retained. The slips have printed on them the 
following : 



94 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

" Hereby agree to perform 

the work specified for the amount agreed upon." 

Following which is a written description of the 
work in detail, with date also. 

In company with this record comes the workman's 
time report, and in which he will give not only time, 
but in some forms gives also the materials he used, 
so that it may be used in checking up your cost account 
of material used. 



THE COST SHEET 

Have a sheet of ruled white paper, of size 8^ by 14 
inches, and at the top write name of customer, date, 
amount of contract, and date of estimate. The first 
charges on the sheet are cartage, fares and telephone. 
Then comes each man's time for the day. For extra 
work use a separate sheet and pin it to the first. A 
sample of such a cost sheet is herewith given. The cost 
of running the business is not shown, as that will vary 
in different shops : 

COST SHEET 

MR. THOMAS S. STEWART, 
411 W. Smith St., City. 

Estimate of Nov. 10, 1912, $150.00 

1912, Days. Hours. Amoiinl. 

Nov. 15 Cartage, $2.(X) 

Carfares, 1 .00 

r6 Jones, etc., etc., i ;^(>(> 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 95 

And so on to the end of the job, noting each man's 
work, what he did, number of hours and days, carry- 
ing amount to last column, and at end count up days, 
hours and amount. At bottom of sheet have this : 

Estimate, $150.00 
Cost, 47.65 



$102.35 



MATERIAL SHEET 

For charging materials a yellow slip is used, entering 
daily reports on same of materials used on the job and 
cost thereof. The use of tools should be added to the 
cost sheet, being part of cost of doing the work. File 
away these sheets for future reference. Handy in case 
you have to do the same or similar work again. Here 
is a sample of the material sheet. The heading is ex- 
actly the same as for the cost sheet, only the items 
differing, as follows : 

1912. 
2\ov. 15 White lead, 

Linseed oil, 

Turpentine, 

Whiting, 

Ochre in oil, 

Raw umber in oil, 

Burnt umber in oil, 

Raw sienna in oil. 

Dry colors, 



GO lbs. 


$7.00 


10 gals. 


9.00 


5 gals. 


3-50 


20 lbs. 


•30 


10 lbs. 


.80 


2 lbs. 


.22 


2 lbs. 


.22 


2 lbs. 


.22 


5 lbs. 


.75 



Returned, 



)22.3I 



$21.16 
Total labor of all kinds 59-83 



96 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



TAKING AND FILING ORDERS 

The card system is the simplest and about the best 
for the purpose of keeping account of orders that we 
know of. When an order is received it is recorded on a 
small card, and this card is filed in a box made and 
kept for the purpose. The "live" orders are kept in the 
front part of the box, while the completed or cancelled 
orders are indexed in the back part of the box. In this 
way you have the work before you, and do not have to 
turn over pages of a book, with chances of overlooking 
some old order that may be among the cancelled ones. 
The cards also prove handy many times in deciding 
questions long after the details of the work have 
escaped your memory. At the same time never de- 
stroy the original order of the customer ; keep them in 
a special case. 

ESTIMATE FORM 

Here is a suggestion for an estimate form, one that 
is in actual use. This estimate when signed becomes a 
contract. The paper may be about 5 by 8 inches : 

JULIUS LOTZ 
Painter and Decorator 

Endora, Kas , 

An estimate for .- 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 97 

EXTERIOR WORK 



Coats on 
Coats on 
Coats on 



The surface to be put in proper condition be- 
fore painting. Paint to be made to suit condi- 
tions with strictly pure white lead or zinc, pure 
linseed oil, turpentine driers, and pure tinting 
colors. Each coat to be well brushed out and 
allowed to dry thoroughly before the next coat 
is applied. 

INSIDE WORK J 



Total, 

Terms cash on completion of work. 

The above Estimate is accepted and you are author- 
ized to proceed with the work. 

- -- 1912 



THE INVOICE OR STOCK BOOK 

The invoice or stock book will prove its value many 
times, particularly at the end of the season. It can be 
used in all the ways of thorough book-keeping or sim- 
ply as a record of date, amount and price of stock pur- 



98 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

chased. In collection with the time book and expense 
account it will give a fairly accurate resume of the 
serious end of the season's business. Some shops have 
adopted a debit and credit system in the invoice book, 
wherein they claim to be able at a glance to take ac- 
count of stock. This method may also prove advan- 
tageous in cases where journeymen have easy access 
to stock or material, and may, perhaps, prove a check 
on the personal ambitions of some who desire the swift 
accumulation of worldly goods. 



THE GRAINER TO THE TRADE 

It is suggested that grainers-to-the-trade, or those 
who do the graining for master painters, should have 
some printed postals something like the following: 



'Phone 



WILLIAM E. WALL 
Grainer to the Trade 

Where to Work 

Kind of Work 

Remarks 

Name - 

Address 

A few of these cards may be left with each painter 
for whom you work, and when he has a job for you 
he will fill out a card and mail it to you. You should 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



have your name and address printed on the address 
side, of course. The telephone may be used, but the 
card comes in where the telphone may not be in use. 
The card is also handy for filing away for record. 



SHOP MANAGEMENT 

Shop Rules. — Some Time Reports have printed on 
the back a set of Shop Rules, and the following is a 
fair sample of such, being the "Uniform Shop Rules'' 
adopted by the Master Painters' and Decorators' As- 
sociation of Boston, Mass. : 

1. All men must supply themselves with putty knife, 
dust brush, and slippers for inside work; also with 
clean white overalls once a week. 

2. A set of brushes will be furnished to each man, 
who will be held responsible for them on leaving the 
shop. They must be returned before last payment is 
made. 

3. Working part of noon hour is forbidden except 
by permission. 

4. No smoking permitted on any of our w^ork. 

5. Men will be held responsible for all their work. 

6. All men are expected to be neat in their appear- 
ance, as well as in their work, and courteous to all our 
patrons. 

7. When working around window on both inside 
and outside strict attention must be paid to keeping the 
glass clean. 

8. When working on scaffolds or ladders, examine 
everything to see that all is safe before venturing on 
same. If any ladders, falls, or other tools are found 
defective, they must not be used, and the same must 
be reported at once to the office. 



lUO THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

9. All men are forbidden to use bath rooms or throw 
waste water in sinks on any job where they may be 
working in any way, shape or manner, whether the 
house is occupied or not. 

10. New brushes must not be left in water over 
night. 

11. Strict account must be given of all stocks taken 
from the shop. 

12. Each man must render an account of time for 
each day, on Time Sheet, giving a separate account for 
each job. 

13. Be prompt, do your work well and only as di- 
rected. All suggestions will come from the foreman 
of the job, or the man in charge. 

14. Keep your paint pots clean, and take good care 
of your brushes and stock. 

15. Intemperance or disobedience to the above rules 
will not be tolerated. 

Preventing Waste in the Paint Shop. — It will 
pay to have a man in the paint shop for mixing all the 
paint. I have seen several men mixing paint in a 
shop, each for himself, and this means lack of system 
and great waste of time and material. Have a book 
of formulas, for mixing every kind of paint or color, 
tint, etc. This will save time in making up a batch of 
any particular color. It pays to buy color in press-top 
cans, and have a press-top machine, costing about 
$1.25. The principal pigments at least should be 
bought in press-top cans. Of waste in brushes the sub- 
ject has been well presented under the head of brushes. 
Have a boy whose duty it is to clean the paint pots, 
keep the shop clean and in order, and to do such other 
little tricks as may be required. In this way the time 
of a man may be saved. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 101 

Every paint shop should have posted up a set of 
rules, which should be obeyed. Cans should be kept 
clean, and when not in use placed on shelves. Cloths 
should be folded and put away when not in use. Lad- 
ders should be hung up, according to size. Have a bar- 
rel for keeping all paint skins in. Work these skins up 
into a paint. Number every pot, brush, ladder, etc., 
and a record kept of same. When a man goes out on 
a job make out a blank, showing what he took with 
him, charging same to man in charge of job. Hold 
him responsible for same until job is done and all 
articles, material not used, etc., are returned to shop. 
Workmen will be more careful and not so wasteful if 
held to strict account for everything they take out. 
When a brush is worn down to a stub, let it be handed 
in and the man credited with it. Don't let men stand 
around in the morning, waiting for material. Have 
everything on the job the day before or in the morning 
before the men go to work. When done with one 
job, instruct the men so that they can go right to the 
next job without loss of time. 

System in the Paint Business. — Much has been 
written and said upon this topic, of late years, for 
painters realize more than ever that if they are to 
make any money out of the business they must con- 
duct it strictly upon business principles and accord- 
ing to modern business methods. This means system. 
Win and hold your trade by honest dealings. But be 
very careful about the contracts you make. Have a 
complete set of specifications for the work. Trust 
nothing to the word of the party you are to work for. 
Have it all down in black and white. If you find your- 
self standing to lose on a contract, still do it right. 

System begins with the proprietor himself. He 
must set a good example to his men. Here is a good 



102 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

division of the master's time: From 6.15 A. M. to 
7 A. M., get the men out. From 7 to 8 see about 
the color mixing for the next man in during the day; 
do not keep him waiting. From 8 to 10 look after 
the men and jobs. From 10 to 11, new business. From 
II to 12, in the store. From i to 3 P. M., look after 
the men. From 3 to 4.30, new business. From 4.30 
to 6, in the store and shop, get reports from the men 
and give orders for the following morning. The fore- 
going routine is given by a master painter as his own. 
He adds that of course you will have to deviate from 
this set programme somewhat at times, but not the 
store time, for you will find that your store men will 
make plenty of appointments for you for these hours 
(11 to 12 and 4.30 to 6). You cannot afford to dis- 
appoint here, so be sure to be at the store at set hours. 

The best and best paying shops insist upon the per- 
sonal neatness of their men, and upon good conduct. 
Be neat in work and in everything. It pays, and is 
particularly essential when doing business with par- 
ticular people. Have cloths for covering furniture, 
floors, etc. If you should happen to damage or spoil 
anything, the damages claimed would not be small. 
Besides which carelessness hurts your business with 
monied clients. 

A master should be indeed master of his trade. And 
he must also be a good business man. Keep track of 
the cost of doing each and every job, big or little. 
Employ good foremen. The right man will earn his 
pay and more. He should be a good workman, quick 
to see and decide things, and able to size up men under 
him. This will enable him to put the right man in 
the right place. Carnegie says this made him rich. 

Give the men fifteen minutes Saturday afternoon for 
cleaning up things, for inspection. Give a prize each 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 103 

month to the man who keeps his working clothes and 
tools, etc., in the best condition. Visit the job at least 
once a day. This will show your client that you are 
personally interested in the work, and at the same time 
the men will understand that you are keeping tab on 
them and their work. 

Keep a truck book, in which at the completion of a 
job a record can be made by the foreman of all ladders, 
trestles, planks, paint, etc., left at the job. Have every- 
thing hunted up and placed where the truck man can 
get them when he calls for them. Have a man to go 
over the building before the close of day and gather 
up any oil rags or waste, and place same in a covered 
iron pail. 

It is difficult to get good men, but you can replace 
undesirable men gradually ,and in time get a force of 
good men. Pay top price and get the best possible 
men, and appreciate such men properly by kindness 
and fair dealing. Encourage them to save money and 
to live clean lives. Set the example in this direction. 
Permit no profane or vulgar talk, nor tobacco smok- 
ing, on the job. Discharge a man for frequenting 
saloons. Have your rules, and enforce them, even to 
the discharge of the best man you have. 

Pay the men promptly, whether it is Monday morn- 
ing or Saturday evening pay-day. This is very im- 
portant, because men will hold you in higher respect 
when they know that you pay regularly, and pay the 
highest rates. Otherwise they will look upon you as 
poor and unreliable. 

Never lend any tools to a workman. He has a little 
job to do at home, or for the boarding missus. Let 
him buy his outfit, let him get it elsewhere. Pay him 
no money between pay-days. Allow no lounging 



104 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

around shop or office, unless under waiting orders, or 
with permission from foreman or boss. 



BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE 

No matter how small a business you may be doing, 
use only the finest of printed stationery. This will 
impress customers favorably, will give them the im- 
pression that you are a good workman as well as busi- 
ness man, and make it appear that you are doing a 
rather prosperous trade. But this has been dwelt upon 
in another part of this work. My aim here is to give 
a few suggestions regarding the matter of correspond- 
ence. Answer all letters promptly, by next mail, if 
possible. If the party telephones, reply at once; for 
you can not afford to be without a telephone in your 
shop or house. 

Be courteous in your letters. Never say a stinging 
thing, no matter how great the provocation. Keep 
sweet. It pays. If a customer writes as though very 
mad, reply in the kindliest terms possible, to soothe 
him. If he is a chronic kicker, hard to get along with, 
but has a lot of work worth keeping, act as if he was 
amiable. If his work does not amount to much, cast 
him off, but do it courteously. It is a personal rule 
with me to sever diplomatic relations with disagree- 
able persons. 

A letter is not as good as a personal visit, if there 
is any dispute about work or bill, or what not. In fact, 
a letter is only to be used when the only convenient 
means for communicating with a party. 

When you send in a bill for the first time, ask if the 
work done was perfectly satisfactory, and if not, ex- 
press regret and a desire to rectify the matter. This 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 105 

matter of asking about the job when done is highly 
important, because it puts the customer on record if he 
replies. 

Always keep a copy of your letters, for possible 
future use. Keep all letters received in a file book. 
Whether you write with pen or machine, it is easy to 
have a duplicate carbon copy of letters. There is a 
specially prepared carbon paper for copying pen writ- 
ten letters. 

Never send a postal card in place of a letter. Of 
course there are times when the humble postal may 
be used, but for correspondence it pays to spend an- 
other cent and use the letter form. 

If the goods you have ordered prove, upon arrival, 
to be unsatisfactory, at once notify the ^ender, in plain 
business terms, avoiding anything like feeling. We 
are all human. All liable to make mistakes. Above all 
never write a letter while hot; wait until cool. Or if 
you must write while hot, to relieve your mind, write, 
make it a stinger, — then tear it up. In a few hours 
you will be in a better condition for writing the letter. 

Never write with a lead pencil. Don't scrawl. Use 
a good pen and good ink. Never send a stamped or 
unstamped envelope where you ask for a reply. It is 
only proper to send a stamp where the reply you wish 
is entirely of interest to yourself. When you fold the 
lpff,>- -heet, don't make the corners come square, but 
let the upper half-sheet be a little shorter than the 
under one, then neatly double again so that it will 
easily go into the envelope. Use regular business en- 
velopes, white preferred, and the same of the, letter 
sheet. Place stamp in upper right-hand corner, head 
up, not just any way. Avoid flashy printing. Be plain 



106 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



FINAL OBSERVATIONS 

Vou are entitled to a weekly stipend, just as much 
as any .man in your employ. Set some price for your 
services that you can take on pay-day, and have it a 
part of your pay-roll. At the end of the year, or better 
still, every six months, find out the volume of business 
done and the total expense and you can easily find the 
percentage of expense that is chargeable to every con- 
tract bfore you can know your profit. Have time and 
stock sheets printed and everything charged on them 
that is taken to the job. From the stock and time 
sheets you can transfer to a book kept for that purpose 
all labor and material that has been used on the job; 
add your percentage of expenses, and if you have any- 
thing left you can see at a glance just what your profit 
is. Ybu will also find that some foremen will do a 
piece of work in less time than others, and are there- 
fore more profitable to you. It is better to make out 
your specifications in duplicate ,and if you are success- 
ful in getting the contract, place on the back of your 
copy all of the figures that you -made for the work. 
When the work is done, file your cost sheet with your 
copy and you have a record of the contract that you 
can turn to at any time. If you are called upon at 
any time to estimate again on the same work, and are 
busy, you have all the data before you to work with. 
If you did not come out even the last time you can 
figure to make a profit this time. 

The method of charging is of great importance. I 
will mention one way which I think is good. Have 
a strip list of all the men in your employ ; carefully go 
over the list the last thing each day. After a time you 
can readily tell where every man has been working. 
This, in addition to the time kept by the different fore- 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 107 

men and handed in on a slip with their own time-sheet 
on the morning of pay day. Also, each morning let 
the book-keeper take a position where he can see every 
man go out, and make a note of all stock to be charged. 
If this is done thoroughly there will not be many mis- 
takes made. I have in mind a master painter whose 
specialty is new work, and he knows just w^hat has been 
spent on every job at any time he asks for it. When the 
architect wants to know just w^hat per cent, is done, by 
consulting his records he can tell at once. I care not 
how much you know about the practical side of paint- 
ing, or how well educated you may be in the technical 
departments that go with the trade, if you do not keep 
track of the financial end of your business and have 
some system whereby you can keep tabs on your indi- 
vidual account, you will find that you are in the paint- 
ing business for the fun of being boss. 

One of the most essential things for the master 
painter to consider is how .to get business. No matter 
how much system he has or how much he knows about 
painting, he can make no profit unless he has the work 
to do. There are various ways of getting business, 
and one of the best is by advertising. There are as 
many ways of advertising as there are advertising 
agencies. The best way that I have found is the so- 
called unit system. Keep a mailing list and send to 
each one something every now and then, but keep 
everlastingly at it, especially if you do not have them 
on your books as a customer. By so doing you will 
land some of them after a while. Nothing attracts a 
person so much as persistence, and if you keep at it 
they will begin to sit up and take notice after a while. 

I will not attempt to go into details on this subject, 
but advertising does not necessarily mean newspaper 
or program advertisement, nor circular or similar 



108 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

forms, but the fundamental principle of advertising 
is to seek acquaintance with prospective customers, 
and after that is partly or wholly accomplished to gov- 
ern oneself by the motto, ''Lest they forget." 

f'inally, however much you systematize your busi- 
ness, never allow a system to deteriorate into red 
tape. A system should always tend to simplify busi- 
ness practices without endangering their security. It 
should always impress those who are brought into 
contact with it of the firmness, justness, and progres- 
siveness of all its demands. 

There was a day when a man's business reputation 
rested wholly on his knowledge of his trade, and 
whether he could read or write it mattered little. To- 
day the customers demands of us not only the master- 
ship of our trade, but our strict compliance to the 
usages and practices of business principles. 



AN INDEX CARD SYSTEM 

The following table shows both sides of a card-index 
cost system, the card being 8 by 5 inches. It is to be 
filed away in a cabinet, and may be easily turned to at 
any time when it is desired to look up the exact cost 
of any job done. It is also useful in future estimating 
and in case of a disputed account. Further, it obviates 
the need for more or less elaborate ledger entries. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



109 



- 


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1 










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X 
















5 
















£! 
















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8 
















s 
















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1 






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1 

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110 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 





•*mctE 


aUANTITY 


COST 


ARTICLE 


QUANTITY 


COST 


Benzine 








Zinc Oil 




1 


Gasoline 








- Dnr 








Japan 








" Varn. 








lead 








Enamel 








Och« 








Alcohol 








Oil 








X Shellac 








Tun>. 








Bronze 








rrinc.Bio»n 








- liquid 








.Sand Taper 








CiMcCklk 








Puny . 








Filler 








Varnijh 








Dutch Pink 








•• 








Clue 








■• 








Muresco 








Slack OH 








Or. Miner 








■• Jap. 








Plaster P 




1 


6lue PnBs 








Pumice 




1 


■ Cobalt 
















• Ult 
















- CeteH 
















OreenOa 








Slarct> 








- Jap. 








Soap 








KedFlai 








Soaoine 








• Tut 








Slain 
















Steel Wool 








Sienna Bt 








Spon,« 








" R. 








Whiting 








timber Bi 








Waste 








- R. 








Wax 








ftMawL. 








OlBSS 








" M. 














- O. 

































































































































Back of Index Card. 
USEFUL COST CARD FOR THE SIGN SHOP 

DAILY TIME REPORT. 

Sign Department. 
Taking down signs. 2i. Matting inset. 



2. Cleaning off. 

3. Coating — First. 

4. Coating — Second. 

5. Coating — ^Third. 

6. Coating — Fourth. 



22. Outlining letter. 

23. Shading letter. 

24. Painting borders. 

25. Painting background. 

26. Shading. 



THE PAINTER'S ES .IMATOR 



111 



7. Varnishing. 27. Frosting letter. 

8. Laying out. 28. Getting out scaffold 
' 9. Making pattern. order. 

10. Perforating pattern. 29. Taking in scaffold. 

11. Pouncing. 30. Delivering. 

12. Tacking on muslin. 31. Cutting cards. 

13. Tacking on oilcloth. 32. No. books gold or silv r 

14. Sizing in. received. 

15. Gilding; patching. 33. No. books gold or silv r 

16. Nailing on letters. used. 

17. Cutting in. 34. No. books gold or silver 

18. Lettering. returned. 

19. Filling in. 35. Muslin used. 

20. Cleaning of¥ surplus gold 36. Oilcloth used. 

or silver. 37. Bronze used G. S. 

38. Hanging signs. 
Rate per hour 

Employee's name 

Date 



Kind 1 
Job No. of Quality. Started work 
work '' 


Stopped work Total Time 


1 1 Hrs. 


Min. 


Hrs. |Min.| Hrs. | Min. 


1 1 1 




I 1 1 


1 1 I 




..1 1 








1 1 








1 1 




. 1 1 1 




i i 

! 








1 












1 1 1. . 








1 1 1 1 


1 




1 1 1 

1 1 1 i i 1 1 





This report must be filled out after each job is finished, 
showing every moment's time put in during the day; to be 
turned in at the office each night, and must agree with the 
weekly time card. 



112 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 



MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ^ 

What a Painter Can Paint in a Given Time. 
How much surface can an average painter coat with 
oil paint in an hour ? A painter kept a close account in 
doing a job, which showed that his men spread 12 
square yards per hour, on exterior work, such as siding 
of house, porches, etc. This, we may say, is some- 
what better than the average. From another source 
we ascertain that a painter with a new pound brush, 
size not stated, can on the sidewall of a frame building 
cover from 720 to 800 square feet of surface, one coat, 
in a day of nine hours, and do the work right, provided 
the paint is right and the painter is not too slow. This 
estimate seems to us to be nearer the real average 
than the first one given. 

But it is not easy to say just how much a man ought 
to coat in a given time, as conditions vary greatly. 
Really, the best way is for every painter carrying on^ 
the business to keep a record of work of various kinds, 
for a certain length of time, and of work of various 
kinds, until he can deduce a very close estimate, both 
of time and material. This would not be hard to do, 
and it would abundantly reward you in the facts it 
would bring out. 

Covering Capacity of Calcimine. Careful shop 
records give the following data regarding the cover- 
ing capacity of calcimine on the principal surfaces 
usually coated. 

One gallon of calcimine will cover 270 square feet 
on plaster, 180 square feet on brickwork, and 225 
square feet on wood. 

Covering Capacity. One pound of dry calcimine 
will cover .approximately, as follows : 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 113 

Smooth painted boards 60 to 80 sq. feet 

Smooth unpainted boards 50, -to 75 sq. feet 

Rough unpainted boards 25 to 40 sq. feet 

Soft unpainted brick 25 to 40 sq. feet 

Hard unfinished brick 40 to 65 sq. feet 

Stone 25 to 40 sq. feet 

Space One Man Will Coat in One Hour. Using- 
a five-inch calcimine brush an average workman will 
coat, in one average working hour, 22 square yards of 
rough wall, 38 square yards of smooth wall, 20 square 
yards of brick wall, flat surface, bench or floor, 40 
square yards, ceiling, from step ladder, 25 square 
yards. 

Liquid Bronze. The spreading capacity of any 
liquid must depend on the thinness of the fluid, and 
hence a bronze paint thinned with turpentine or ben- 
zine, and containing also some varnish, as a binder, 
will cover more surface than one mixed with banana 
liquid. The former will cover about 800 square feet, 
while the latter will cover about 100 square feet less. 
This for an ordinary smooth surface. 

Bronze Powder. One ounce of bronze powder will 
cover about 25 square feet of average surface, one 
that is not absorptive. 

The paint material required for an average dwelling 
house, excluding glass, will be from 20 to 30 per cent, 
of the cost of the painting, according to an expert. 
The difference between the cost of the very best ma- 
terials and the poor ones is so slight that, excepting 
perhaps in the case of a very large contract, it does not 
pay to use the latter ; reputation is a valuable asset, 
and hence worth keeping. 

The cost of materials on a job is low as regards 
sandpaper, yet we know of one big job where it was 
the largest cost item next to varnish. 



114 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

It is a mistake to put on prices, rather than taking 
off quantities. 

White Lead Paint. To ascertain the amount of 
such paint required to cover a given surface, on wood, 
divide the number of square feet by 200, which will 
give the number of gallons required for two-coat work. 
The usual estimate for ready-mixed paint is that a gal- 
lon will cover about 500 square feet, average surface on 
wood or smooth metal, one coat. 

To ascertain the number of pounds of white lead in 
oil, as it is in the keg, before thinning, required to cover 
a certain area of square feet, divide the area by 18, 
which will give the amount of lead required for doing 
a three-coat job. 

It should be borne in mind that all estimates are 
simply approximate, surface conditions and thinning 
of paint entering into the problem. 

Painting Over Cement. — A master painter did 
painting over cement plaster, over hollow tile walls, in- 
terior, and kept a careful record of the amount of ma- 
terial required, finding that the same used per coat was 
as follows : 

1st Coat 2d Coat ^d Coat Total 

Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 

Ochre 299.6 66.0 365.6 

Lead 599.5 584.5 602.5 1,786.5 

Oil 274.1 60.0 40.3 374.5 

Turps 60.0 60.5 120.5 

Drier 4-8 1.5 i-4 • 77 

Color 7.0 22.3 29.3 

Totals 1,178.0 7790 641.5 2,684..o 

Gallons 64.5 34.0 29.7 128.2 

Weight per gal.... 18.25 23.0 24.5 

Walls plastered over concrete — First coat, 328.5 square feet; 
second coat, 552.1 square feet; third coat, 664 square feet 
covered per gallon. 



THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 113 

Wails plastered over hollow tiles — First coat, 240.9 square 
feet; second coat, 501.4 square feet; third coat, 644.3 
square feet covered per gallon. 

Varnish — First coat, 43.75 gallons on walls and ceiling. 

Some turpentine was used on the second coat, but 
not on the first coat. 

Covering Capacity of Fillers. — How much sur- 
face will liquid filler cover ? I should say that, taking 
an ordinar}^ quality of liquid filler, reduced to the 
average, a pint will cover eight square yards, one coat ; 
or one gallon to 64 square yards of average surface. 
At $1.50 per gallon, the cost per square yard would be 
practically 21/3 cents. 

Painting Bridge Work. — A contractor made the 
following estimate from a six-span bridge he painted. 
Getting an area of the work he made a very careful 
estimate. 

Red lead 0.4 lbs. 

Lampblack in oil 0.0133 lbs. 

Boiled linseed oil 0-0233 gals. Materials, 

Japan 0.0033 gals. $.0458 per 

Turpentine 0.0013 gals. sq. yd. 

Brushes 0.45 cts. 

Labor, $.0788 per sq. yd. 

Each span was 54 feet, and two coats of red lead 
paint were applied. Each deck plate girder took 600 
lbs. red lead, 20 lbs. lampblack in oil, 50 gals, boiled 
linseed oil, 5 gals, japan, 2 gals, turpentine, and 
$118.30 for labor, equalling $.5775 per lineal foot or 
.088c. per lb. 

A prominent firm of contractors give the following- 
estimate for structural iron work : For heavy railroad 
bridge work they estimate that .40 of a gallon will do 
two coats, arriving at the estimate in this way: The 
first coat requires .24 of a gallon, and the second coat 



116 THE PAINTER'S ESTIMATOR 

.16 of a gallon, making in all .40 of a gallon to a ton. 
For light highway bridges they figure that it takes .70 
of a gallon for two coats, that is, .40 for the first coat, 
and .30 for the second coat, amounting to .70 for the 
two coats. They figure to paint a heavy railroad bridge 
three coats requires approximately .50 of a gallon — 
.24 for the first coat, .16 for the second, and .12 for 
the third coat. For light highway bridges they figure 
that it will require .80 of a gallon for three coats, as 
follows: . 35 for the first coat, .25 for the second coat, 
and .20 for the third coat. As an illustration of the 
above table, take a light structure containing 600 tons 
of metal to be painted with three coats. It requires .80 
of a gallon to coat each ton of this iron three coats. 
Therefore, 600 tons times .80 gallons equals 480 gal- 
lons for three coats. The above figures are made in 
connection with the use of Dixon's Silica-Graphite 
Paint, or a paint which will cover an equal amount of 
surface, and are approximate. They are, however, 
close enough to enable us to figure accurately to a 
reasonable degree. 

Gasoline. — It is rather difficult to estimate what 
amount of gasoline will be required for burning off 
old paint, etc., much depending on the kind of torch 
used, also on the workman, and character of the job. 
We might make an approximate estimate of one gal- 
lon for 600 square feet of old paint surface. But the 
estimate is mostly a guess. 

Paint. — Paint varies so much in composition, both 
as regards constituents and thinning, that it is hard to 
estimate closely. A gallon of average paint may cover 
over 300 square feet of average surface, two coats. 
There is a great difference in the covering capacity of 
different pigments, and this must be taken into account. 
See under head of White Lead Paint. 

Finis 



BOOKS THAT WE PUBLISH 



The Expert Sign Painter, Cloth, 302 pages - $3.00 

The Expert Sign Painter, Russia Leather - 3.50 

The Expert Wood Finisher, Cloth, 340 pages 3.00 

The Expert Painter's Estimator, Cloth, over 

100 pages L50 

The Expert Calciminer, stiff paper covers, 

107 pages 1.00 

IN PREPARATION 
The Expert House Painter 
The Expert Interior Decorator 
The Expert Color Mixer 

Publishing also The Master Painter, a-monthly 
magazine for painters, at $1.00 a year. Established 
17 years. 



THE MASTER PAINTER PUBLISHING CO. 

MALVERN, PENNA., U. S. A. 



DEC 16 19!2 



